Olympics Sailing 2008 : Summary

Tomorrow, the Olympic flame will be extinguished simultaneously at the National Stadium in Beijing and the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, officially ending the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and bringing to a conclusion a remarkable journey for the sport of sailing.



SOME STATS

1) The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Sailing Competition brought together 400 of the world’s finest sailors racing in 272 boats representing 62 nations.


2) They demonstrated their talent to the world over the course of 117 races during 13 days of competition in 11 sailing events.

3) After years of dedication and training, competition for the ultimate prize in sport came down to 11 Medal Races, where the winners of the 33 sailing medals of the Beijing Games were decided.

REFLECTIONS OF THE ULTIMATE

Reflecting on the Games, ISAF President Göran PETERSSON said, “I’d like to offer my congratulations to everyone involved in the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition who contributed to making it such a fantastic success. To the 400 sailors who have competed in Qingdao, congratulations on representing your nation and showcasing our sport to the world. To the medal winners, what more is there to say? You have reached the very pinnacle of sporting success; savour your triumph - you are all heroes of our sport and your success will inspire the sailors of the future.

“Our hosts in Qingdao have provided a magnificent venue, a warm welcome and shown great dedication. A huge thank you to the Sailing Committee and to the thousands of volunteers who have shown true Olympic spirit in their efforts and their enthusiasm for our sport. Your dedication has ensured not just a great Games, but a great legacy for sailing. China won its first ever Olympic gold medal in sailing this year, but I am certain it will not be the last.

“To all of those who have followed sailing at the Games, whether it be watching on the television, via the internet, newspapers, radio, magazines or any other medium - thank you for showing your support of our sport. I hope sharing in the passion, the excitement and the spirit of the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition has inspired your own sailing dreams.”

SUCCESS TO THE SPORT OF SAILING

1) In many ways this was a landmark Games for sailing. It was the first time the Medal Race format, featuring the top ten competitors competing in a final double-points race, was used at the Olympic Games.

2) China won its first ever gold medal in sailing.


3) Alessandra SENSINI of Italy became the first female sailor to win four Olympic medals.

4) British sailor Ben AINSLIE won his third consecutive Olympic gold medal, a feat International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques ROGGE called “equally fantastic” to the recording-breaking performances of American swimmer Michael PHELPS and Jamaican sprinter Usain BOLT.

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

In total 18 nations won medals, including the first ever sailing medal for Lithuania.

With 4 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal, Great Britain topped the sailing Medal Tally for the third consecutive Games.

Other gold medals went to Australia (two), Spain, the USA, China, Denmark and New Zealand.

GOLDEN MOMENTS

There have been many remarkable and memorable moments: the roar of the crowd as China’s Jian YIN fought her way back into a gold medal winning position in the Women’s RS:X Medal Race; the nail-biting second beat in the Star Medal Race; and of course, the incredible 49er Medal Race are just three.

You can relive the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition by clicking here or the ISAF Olympic Games microsite www.sailing.org/olympics. (Source)

OLYMPICS AT THE NEXT LEVEL

The 2008 Paralympic Games takes place from 6-17 September, with Qingdao hosting the Paralympic Sailing Competition from 8-13 September.

The next Olympic Games takes place in London, Great Britain in 2012. Weymouth and Portland will host the Olympic Sailing Competition.

GiiraYachts.com hopes that all our viewers enjoyed the Olympics 2008 Sailing events and the coverage...and hope to see you in the waters soon.
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Olympics 2008 Sailing - Star Class Results

British crew Iain PERCY and Andrew SIMPSON won the final gold medal of the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition after a thrilling finish to Thursday's Star Medal Race held at the Olympic Sailing Regatta, Qingdao, on 21st August 2008. Britain finished on 45 points, eight in front of the Brazilians and Swedes. The South Americans took silver by virtue of their better result in the medal race.



“This win is far more sweet than the gold in the Finn,” said PERCY. “Six months ago, we knew we could do. It’s just that there was so much work involved and there are so many talents in the class. We always knew we were contenders, but only contenders. Every morning we wake up thinking about sailing and nothing else.”


Below is a small video of the race –



Britain eventually finished fifth in the medal race, behind race winners Poland, but the crucial factor was that they finished ahead of Sweden.

The two boats were neck-and-neck for much of the race but Percy and Simpson, who started the race two points behind Sweden, did just enough to keep their noses in front as the pressure increased in the closing stages.




The trio’s first international foray, in the Laser Radial class, at the 1994 Worlds in Wakayama, Japan. Percy and Simpson managed a 5th at the Laser Worlds, which Ainslie was to win later, whilst both Ainslie and Percy were twice selected to the Youth Worlds.

GiiraYachts congratulates them on their achievement and wishes the winners all the best in their other competitions and hope for the same result in the next Olympics.
Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing : RS:X CLASS RESULTS (Men & Women)

While Yin Jian nearly caused a riot when she won China's first ever Olympic Sailing gold medal in a heart-stopping performance that had Chinese spectators screaming and waving flags...2008 world champion Tom Ashley of New Zealand won gold in the Men's RS:X (Windsurfer) with 52 overall points, just one point better than second-place finisher Julien Bontemps of France!

Results for the RS:X Class Men & Women are in...

A roar went up from the fans lining the viewing wall just outside the venue when they realised Yin had won gold by finishing third in the medal race after fighting back from fifth and out of contention for the title.

Italy's Alessandra Sensini won the race to take silver while Bryony Shaw of Great Britain took bronze after finishing the race second.

Yin led out and chose the left side of the course with Australia and New Zealand in toe, while Yin's main adversaries, Marina Alabau of Spain, Sensini and Shaw went right.

The right side paid and Yin was forced into catch-up as first Alabau, then Shaw and finally Sensini took the lead. Trouble loomed when Ukrainian sailor Olha Maslivets, who was out of the medal running, came between the front pack and China. Had it finished that way, it would have cost Yin the gold medal.

But while Sensini got away from the fleet, Yin fought back to third to claim Olympic glory.

"I didn't think about anything during today's race. I knew that if I kept passing one after another, that victory would be mine," said Yin, asking excitedly: "Is this real? Is this real? Did I really win gold?"

RS:X Women

Gold YIN Jian China
Silver SENSINI Alessandra Italy
Bronze SHAW Bryony Great Britain



2008 world champion Tom Ashley of New Zealand won gold in the Men's RS:X (Windsurfer) with 52 overall points, just one point better than second-place finisher Julien Bontemps of France. Shahar Zubari of Israel finished second in the medal race to grab bronze with 58 points overall and give Israel's its first medal of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Ashley experienced his worst day of sailing on Tuesday, August 19, positioned 32nd in the final race of the opening series, and many wondered if he could climb back to win on Wednesday in the light shifty airs. He finished the medal race third behind Chan King-yin of Hong Kong and Zubari.

"I've done it. It's the most incredible feeling and I can't begin to tell you how I feel right now," Ashley said. "It was an insanely tough medal race -- the weather gave us a little bit of everything, but I tried to sail as consistently as I could."

Julien Bontemps of France, who took the series lead on Tuesday, failed to medal at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, finishing ninth.

Shahar Zubari also created a Wednesday comeback to claim his bronze medal, reveling in the lighter shifty airs and flat seas -- sailing conditions he loves.

"I feel so happy. I'm only 20 and I feel like a superstar. I was lucky to have the wind on my side today," Zubari said. "When I finished, I counted back and realized I had won bronze. I was crazy with joy."

RS:X Men

Gold ASHLEY Tom New Zealand
Sliver BONTEMPS Julien France
Bronze ZUBARI Shahar Israel

Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing : LASER CLASS RESULTS

The results for the Laser Class for men & women were surprising. While Goodison had quite a tricky and stressful time winning Gold from the Men's category, amongst the women: Volungeviciute won silver but created Olympic history as the first Lithuanian sailor to win an Olympic medal!

Findout the medalists & their experiences... Results here

Laser Men: Paul Goodison of Great Britain clinched gold in the Laser (Men's One Person Dinghy) with a ninth finish in the medal race and an overall point total of 63, eight points ahead of Vasilij Zbogar of Slovenia who finished second in the medal place to claim silver. Goodison, who finished fourth in Athens, added to Great Britain's impressive gold medal -- making it three gold so far for his NOC. Diego Romero of Italy, an early leader in the regatta, grabbed bronze with 75 points overall.

Goodison came into the medal race 18 points ahead of his nearest rival, so all he had to do was keep Rasmus Myrgren of Sweden from finishing first. The Briton sat on top of his Swedish adversary throughout the two lap windward/leeward course at the back end of the fleet.

"It was quite tricky and pretty stressful," Goodison admitted. "I waited to make sure that I got the gold at the end of the day -- and there was only way to guarantee it. Sweden knew it was coming too -- but I just had to do what I had to do."


Gold GOODISON Paul Great Britain
Silver ZBOGAR Vasilij Slovenia
Bronze ROMERO Diego Italy




Laser Radial Women: Anna Tunnicliffe of the United States staged a stunning and dramatic comeback to claim the Laser Radial (Women's One Person Dinghy) gold medal from rising star Gintare Volungeviciute of Lithuania in light and shifty winds before a packed crowd on Tuesday afternoon. In the box seat going into today's race, Tunnicliffe, the World No.1 Laser Radial sailor, made a dive for the windward end of the crowded start line and, in doing so, crossed early and had to return and restart.

That created easy picking for Volungeviciute who finished with Silver and Xu Lijia of China who took bronze.

With the US sailor out of the back door, China took the early lead, but it was not long before the Lithuanian had the upper hand. Choosing the opposite side of the course to Xu, Volungeviciute led around the first windward mark. Although Xu stayed in close touch, she never caught her rival.

As the leaders reached the last mark of the course, Sarah Blanck of Australia, also in medal contention, caught a shift and made her way to third place, but she needed to pass Xu to win bronze. Then, out of ninth place appeared Tunnicliffe, who had gone to the left side of the course. She came through to finish the race in second place.


Volungeviciute may have missed gold, but she won the race, the silver and created Olympic history as the first Lithuanian sailor to win an Olympic medal. Because Xu stayed calm she kept Blanck at bay in fourth place, the same rank as in Athens.

Gold TUNNICLIFFE Anna United States
Silver VOLUNGEVICIUTE Gintare Lithuania
Bronze LIJIA Xu China

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Olympics 2008 Sailing : Yngling Class Results

The Yngling Class Race came to a fabulous finish with some of the best finishing at the top of the class in these only-for-women sailboat races.



THE RACE AS IT HAPPENED

Two of the three on the British Yngling team — Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb — defended their Yngling gold from 2004, with Pippa Wilson as third crew in Qingdao after she replaced Shirley Robertson of the Athens crew.

"When we crossed the line, the of three of us just looked at each other," said Ayton, the British skipper.


"Words cannot put any kind of meaning on it. " she said. "You just know that you're the best in the world at what you do."

Their victory came in Olympic sailing's first use of a medal race. The top 10 boats in a series of preliminary races advance to the medal final, which counts double in determining each boat's total score.

Going into the race, which was postponed from Saturday because the winds failed, the British women had a one-point lead on the Dutch team of Mandy Mulder, Annemieke Bes and Merel Witteveen. However, the final race turned into a battle between the British and the German trio of Ulrike Schuemann, Ute Hoepfner and Julia Bleck.

The British led the first two legs, surfing downwind in the choppy Yellow Sea with their spinnaker, only to be passed by the Germans on the third. On the final leg, the British fought back, and crossed the line seven seconds ahead of Germany, to win both the medal race and the gold medal. The Germans ended as No. 4 overall.

The Dutch, which had been the only team in a position to challenge the British crew, were No. 5 in the 10-boat fleet, a finish that secured them the silver.

"This is my first Olympic medal, but it is a pity that we didn't beat (Britain)," said Bes, of the Dutch boat.

The Greek trio of Sofia Bekatorou, who won the 470 class gold in Athens, Sofia Papadopoulou and Virginia Kravarioti finished third in the medal race to snatch the bronze in the close race with the rest of the fleet.

"We feel great for the 10 million Greeks back home," Bekatorou said about bronze.
(SOURCE)

OVERALL STANDINGS

GOLD - The Great Britain Team consisting of Sarah AYTON, Sarah WEBB and Pippa WILSON.


SILVER - The Netherlands Team consisting of Mandy MULDER, Annemieke BES and Merel WITTEVEEN.

BRONZE - The Greece Team consisting of Sofia BEKATOROU, Sofia PAPADOPOULOU and Virginia KRAVARIOTI.
Read more...

Olympic Results - 49er Class

And the results are out... The 49er results have been released and already there have been protests. The winners for the medal race are the Danish crew of Jonas WARRER and Martin IBSEN who have won the gold medal in the Skif.




Boat problem –
Just as the race was about to start the Danish team was already in a deep soup. The Danish team lost their mast just as the race had began. The Race Committee protested the Danish 49er because they had sailed the Medal Race in a boat borrowed from the Croatian crew (who were not competing in the Medal Race) after the mast on the Danish 49er snapped shortly before the start. The Protest hearing and Jury deliberations went on late into the night on Sunday and just before 01:00 was adjourned until Monday morning.

If the Danish team had been disqualified from the race they would have dropped from first to fourth overall and out of the medal position.

Conclusion:

DEN, as a boat assigned to compete in the medal race, was required by SI 19.7 to make a genuine effort to start, sail the course and finish. The OMC approved the replacement of the boat and found that it complied with class rules and all equipment inspections carried out in the Medal Race Quarantine Procedures. DEN complied with SI 21.2 and 21.3. The basis for the protest under MR 12.4 ceased to exist when the OMC approved the request. SI 2 (Additional Identification), SI 3 (Cameras) and MR 13 (Medal Race Quarantine Procedures) are subject to discretionary penalties (SI 18.7, MR 13.7). DEN did not gain a competitive advantage by failing to carry the camera (in the prevailing conditions), by failing to carry the correct identification, or by sailing a boat that had not been subjected to the Medal Race Quarantine Procedure at the required time. SI 2, 3 and 21, and MR 13 are not subject to protests by boats (SI 18.7 and MR 13.7).

Rule(s) applicable:
SI 19.7, MR 13, NoR 3, SI 2, 3, 18.7, 21.2 and 21.3.


Short Decision:
The protest by ESP under SI 21.2 and SI 21.3 is invalid. The protest by the RC is dismissed. No discretionary penalties imposed.

Jury:
John Doerr (chair), David Tillett, Marianne Middelthon, Takao Otani, Josje Hofland

If the Danes had been disqualified from the race MARTINEZ and FERNANDEZ would have been crowned Olympic Champions for the second time.

This means Denmark wins gold, 2004 Athens gold medallists Iker MARTINEZ and Xabier FERNANDEZ of Spain win silver and German brothers Jan-Peter PECKOLT and Hannes PECKOLT won bronze. Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing : 470 CLASS RESULTS (Men & Women)

The Qingdao sun is definitely shining on team Australia in the 470 classes, with first places in both the Men's event and Women's Olympic event! It's been a serious of slow, technical races so far - rewarding some and challenging others. Patience, at least at the Beijing Olympics, seems to be a winning virtue - so far.

Results here...

The key has certainly been patience and consistency for the Men's event, with only two bullets shared among the top ten in all races. Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page of Australia have turned in a 4,7,3,3,3,4 to take first at 17 points. With no double-digit scores yet to toss, the Aussies have a bit of security, while 2nd place France's Nicolas Charbonnier and Olivier Bausset, as well as Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield of third place Britain, have already tossed what they hope will be their Mulligans - 18th and 19th place finishes respectively.

470 Men:

GOLD Australia WILMOT Nathan & PAGE Malcolm
SILVER Great Britain ROGERS Nick & GLANFIELD Joe
BRONZE France CHARBONNIER Nicolas & BAUSSET Olivier


In the Women's event, the Netherland's Marcelien De Koning and Lobke Berkhout looked like they're in a match race for the gold with Australia's Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson. Neither team had given up a double-digit finish , and they were tied for first place with 3,1,9,5,2,2 finishes for NED, and 2,2,4,1,9,4 finishes for AUS. Notice each team has a first, two seconds and a ninth - out of a fleet of 19, that's some tight racing, and this got very interesting as the event continued. Finally, as mentioned above, the sun was indeed shining on the Aussies... Autralia won Gold!


470 Women:

GOLD Australia RECHICHI Elise & PARKINSON Tessa
SILVER Netherlands de KONING Marcelien & GLANFIELD Joe
BRONZE Brazil BERKHOUT Lobke & SWAN Isabe

Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing - The STAR CLASS

The first one-design class, the Star has the best in technology and demands the best of racing skill, yet remains one of the most fun boats to sail anywhere.

Unlike most modern racing boats, it does not use a spinnaker when sailing downwind. Instead, when running downwind a whisker pole is used to hold the jib out to windward for correct wind flow.Design -
Designed in 1911 by Francis Sweisguth, it has proven to be a classic in every sense. It is the oldest Olympic class, having first been used in competition in 1932, and still at the heart of that competition today.

Supported by a worldwide association the Star as a class is one of the best organized in sailing, with over 7,500 yachts built over its 80 year history, and 2000-plus actively racing today. The Star is reached Worldwide in over 170 fleets by thousands of sailors.




Olympics -
The ten preliminary races are scheduled for the afternoons of August 15, 16, 17, 19, & 20. The final Medal Race is scheduled for the afternoon of 21 August 2008. 16 teams of two sailors each competed in this Star sailboat competition.

Quick Facts -

Crew Two
LOA 6,922 mm (22 ft 8.5 in)
LWL 4,724 mm (15 ft 6.0 in)
Beam 1,734 mm (5 ft 8.3 in)
Chine: 1,372 mm (4 ft 6.0 in)
Draft 1,016 mm (3 ft 4.0 in)
Hull weight (with fittings) 671 kg (1,480 lb)
Mast height (above deck) 9,652 mm (31 ft 8.0 in)
Main and Jib area 26.5 m² (285 sq ft)
Mainsail area 20.5 m² (221 sq ft)
Jib / Genoa area 6.0 m² (65 sq ft)
Official website - http://www.starclass.org/




About the boat
Adjustable Jib Leads
The four-way action of the deck-mounted jib leads allow you to carve the shape of the sail, keeping a good shape to match changing conditions.

Hiking Vest
A simple harness allows the crew to get his or her weight out of the boat more efficiently. Made legal by class rules in 1981, the vest must be equipped with a quick-release to ensure safe exit in an emergency. The vest eliminates alot of the exertion and gymnastics traditionally associated with extended periods of hiking.

Suction Bailers
Developed by Star sailor Duarte Bello, sailors quickly discovered that several strategically placed bailers can quickly and safely drain any excess water in the cockpit Most Stars generally have 4, two in the center of the cockpit, and two located near the chines.

Circular Boom Vang
Also developed by Duarte Bello for Stars, this innovation reached popularity in the 1960's, having proven to be a safe and efficient way to control the high loads of the long boom. This development later spread to other classes, among the 12-meters of America's Cup fame.

Whisker Pole
The simple sailplan utilizes a whisker pole to sail wing-on-wing off the wind, thus making the most of the generous sail area. Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing - The 49er Class

Considered as one of the fastest sailing boats the 49er is fast becoming a craze worldwide. The 49er class of boats which is an evolution of the International 14's and Aussie 18's is also a important part of the Olympics.

About the boat –

It is a double handed twin trapeze boat, meaning that it is sailed by a helm and a crew, the helm making many tactical decisions, as well as steering, and the crew doing most of the sail control. Designed by Julian Bethwaite, the 49er is an evolution of the International 14's and Aussie 18's

The high-performance dinghy class with a low hull and tiny wings, by skiff standards is also used for open competition in the Olympic Games. With a Portsmouth yardstick Handicap of 68.8 the 49er is the fastest two person one-design monohull dinghy.

Quick facts about the 49er –

Designed by - Julian Bethwaite
Crew Two (Double trapeze)
LOA 4876mm (16ft)
LWL Beam [w.o./w. wings] 1752mm/2743mm (5ft 9in /9ft)
Draft 1447mm 4ft 9in
Hull weight (with fittings) 74.25kg (210lbs)
Main and Jib area 215sq.ft
Spinnaker area 400sq.ft
Official website - http://www.49er.org
Current world champions - Nathan OUTTERIDGE and Ben AUSTIN
Seiko is also the official 49er class sponsor.

Design Features

The design of the 49er achieves an outstanding harmony of visual appeal, physical parts and dynamic ratios to achieve a miniaturized design of a new level of efficiency.

Drag
The drag of the 49er shape and assembled parts is far lower than that of any previous skiff. The following features all contribute to this:

Hull
This is due to both hydrodynamic (shape of the wet part of the hull) and aerodynamic (the hull is lower) features
The hull has no vertical or external bulkhead.

Wings
Wings are small and slender, blending smoothly into the hull with no bulky tube outlines or plug-in points
They are also low - well below the meter height above the water where the wind speed is slower because it is slowed by surface friction with the water.

Sails
The unusual design of the forward end of the mainsail foot both cleans up this area and greatly improves the efficiency of the jib/mainsail slot interaction
The diameter of the longer FRP topmast is tiny due to the spun alloy used
Foils are also state of the art

Ratio
The 49er s final ratios are also impressive. The 49er is a miniaturized and simplified design and yet it has achieved the superb performance level only recently achieved by the Grand Prix Eighteen footers. However, the 49er is affordable and easy to sail and is so efficient that it needs only 85% of the Eighteens relative power to achieve the same speed.

Below is a video of the 49er practice session before the China Olympics 2008



The Olympic Angle -
The 49er event is scheduled to sail 16 races. For each event the regatta will consist of an opening series and a medal race. The medal race will be scheduled on the day designated for each event's medal ceremony, if by that day six races of the full schedule have already been completed.

The 49er president is none other than our very own Malav shroff who is also an Olympian sailor himself. He was also a participant of the 49er during the 2004 Olympics where he along with his partner Sumeet Patel stood 19th in the final rankings. Click here to see the rankings

Olympic Racing Schedule 2008
16 races scheduled for 49ers (includes medal race)
Warning signal at 1300 each race day
• Aug. 9 - practice race
• Aug. 10 - racing
• Aug. 11 - racing
• Aug. 12 - reserve
• Aug. 13 - racing
• Aug. 14 - racing
• Aug. 15 - racing
• Aug. 17 - medal race
• Aug 18-19 - reserve for medal race

The 49er made its first Olympic appearance at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and has continued to grow in popularity ever since.

For all those interested in the technical aspects of the boat click here.
Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing : The LASER Class

Probably the world's most loved sailboat due to it's nimbleness while handling, and ability to speed at lightning speeds, the Laser Class of sailboats is synonymous to professional youth sailing.


The Laser is one of the most popular single-handed dinghies in the world. By 2007, the number of boats produced exceeded 190,000.


A commonly cited reason for its popularity is that it is robust and simple to rig and sail.

THE LASER CLASS

According the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes simplicity and performance.


A version with a smaller sail, the Laser Radial (see below), will be the women's Olympic-class boat this time 2008.

Laser sailing and racing presents a unique set of physical and skill based challenges. Fast Laser sailing requires an advanced level of fitness in order to endure the straight legged hiking and body-torque techniques required to get upwind and reach quickly.


Downwind sailing is unique in that Lasers can sail by the lee and reach. Fast Laser sailors switch back and forth between these two points of sail to surf and sail around waves.

LASERS - 4.7, RADIAL & STANDARD

The Laser 4.7 uses a short pre-bent lower mast to maintain a balanced helm and a sail area that is 35% smaller than the Laser Standard. It is ideal for learning to sail or for the lighter weight sailor graduating from Optimist.


The Laser Radial is the next step up. It uses a more flexible and slightly shorter lower mast together with a sail area 18% smaller than the Laser Standard. The Laser Radial has a large following with national and international regattas and World Open &Youth Championships attracting as many countries and competitors as the Laser Standard Rig. As well as a strong following amongst lighter weight sailors the Laser Radial is also used for youth, women and masters racing. Many countries now support a full Laser Radial Youth programme and in a survey of national yachting authorities conducted by the International Sailing Federation the majority replied that the Laser Radial was their preferred youth boat.


The Laser Standard can be sailed by any weight in light winds, but as the wind increases it is better suited to higher sailor weights.



...AT THE OLYMPICS 2008

The skill of the competitors in both Laser classes is simply astounding, and the conditions at Qingdao in this year's Olympics will likely reward the quick over the fast. With a fairly goo-catching centerboard and flat bottom, the Lasers may have a tricky time with the Qingdao algae if it comes back in quantity, and it could be a major factor for the fleet. Keep a close eye on Tom Slingsby (AUS), as well as Murdoch (NZL) and Goodison (GBR) for the Laser Class, and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA), The host nation's Lijia Xu (CHN), and Sarah Blanck (AUS) for the Laser Radial Class.

For the Laser Class Olympic Race Schedule, click here.
Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing - The FINN CLASS

In 1949, the Finnish Yachting Association started a design competition for the Helsinki (1952) Olympics. Rickard Sarby was the one who answered the call, he designed and then actually built the FINN but it was rejected by the committee.


Though the design was rejected by the association , it became instantly popular amongst the sailors. More FINNs were made and on water the boat use to beat other designed boats almost everytime . So, appearing in Helsinki in 1952, the FINN earned its first Olympics just like the sailors themselves, by proving to be the best..

Design Changes
Although the Finn hull has changed little since 1949, there has been other developments in controlling the sails. The original spars were made of wood until the late 60’s and early 70’s when there was a slow change to Aluminum masts. Aluminum is significantly more flexible and gives more control over sail shape.


It became common place after the 1972 Olympics in Kiel when they were first supplied to Olympic sailors. Recently, carbon fiber masts have become common place in competitive Finn fleets. The sails too have gone through revolution and are now commonly made of Kevlar.


Few tips for Boat Handling - Tacking :-

-Heeling the Finn to leeward helps steer it around a leeward mark.
-When tacking, steer with the tiller behind you on completing a tack.
-Do not switch tiller and sheet hands during a tack until you are on the new weather rail.
-Tacking in heavy air, keep the tiller behind your back until you are fully hiked on the new weather rail. Switch hands only when fully hiked.
-Use your tiller hand, not your teeth, to gather up the main sheet when trimming.
-Steering with the tiller and main sheet in one hand frees the other hand for the sail controls.
-Heeling to windward upwind in flat water and light to moderate air works well but takes lots of practice and concentration.
-Watch where you are steering! And be aware of issues like an anchor rode for racing marks.
-The faster the Finn is going downwind, the easier it is to gybe in strong winds. With the bow of the Finn in the deepest part of the wave trough, you will be going maximum speed.


At the Olympics -

The sailing event of the 29th Olympic Games will be held at Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center from August 9-21, 2008.
Log on to - http://en.beijing2008.cn/sports/sailing/index.shtml


Specifications Under Current Rules :-

Number of crew - 1
LWL - 14 ft
LOA - 4.5 m 14 ft 9in
Beam - 1.51 m 4 ft 10in
Hull weight - 140kgs 319 lb
Sail Area - 10 m². 115 sq ft
rig type - Cat. Read more...

Olympics 2008 Sailing : The RS Class

The waves and winds are up in Beijing and it's time for WindSurfing the RS:X way...

The RS:X windsurfer is a design by Neil Pryde that will be used in the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition.


The International Olympic Committee choose the RS:X because it is representative of equipment used by performance orientated recreational sailors.

Sailors of the RS:X need to be athletic and the craft performs in a wide range of wind speeds.

CONSTRUCTION & DIMENSIONS

Hull Length 285.6cm

Hull Beam 93.3cm

Hull Volume 227 litres

Hull Thickness 13.8cm

Mast Length Men’s 520cm / Women’s 490cm

Hull Weight 15.75kgs

8.5m sail (women) 5.5kgs

9.5m sail (men) 6.1kgs

490 mast (women) 2.2kgs

520 mast (men) 2.4kg

Boom 3.05kg



PVC / Carbon / Epoxy sandwich over CNC machined EPS foam core. One shot boards are pressed and cured in a single shot process that reduces hand work to the minimum.

STYLE OF RACING

The class rewards all aspects of a competitor. Competitors must be able to sail the correct course and downwind tacking angles also become important especially in the lighter conditions.

The one design nature of the equipment means terminal and average speeds are very close and advantage is usually gained by better tactical decision making.


Brain and brawn are rewarded in a relative equal manner. With so many boards on the starting line a sailor must be able to make a top quality start from the front row or find themselves in a tough position to recover from.

Follow the race schedule for the RS:X here.
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Olympics 2008 Sailing : The YNGLING Class

From all the classes (eight in totality) that are being raced at the Olympics 2008 in Beijing, the Yngling (pronounced 'ING-ling') is probably one of the most quickest, and safest at the same time.


The Yngling is a type of sailboat that the International Yngling Association calls an "agreeable cross between a planing dinghy and a keelboat." Its design is classic, and its construction is durable.

THE YINGLING

It was designed in 1967 by Jan Herman Linge; it was adopted as an international class in May 1979.


Linge wanted to build a keelboat for his young son, and thus named it Yngling, the Norwegian word for "youngster".

Those familiar with the Soling will instantly recognize the Yngling as a "mini-Soling," a description which is quite apt.

CHARACTERISTICS

1) Crew : 2–3
2) LOA (Length OverAll) : 20.8’
3) Beam : 5'6"
4) Draft : 3' 5"
5) Hull Weight (with fittings) : 1422 lb

While the Yngling is not as fast as the Soling, it is quicker, and more nimble. It turns more quickly and in less distance, and responds better to crew weight trim adjustments.


The Yngling has a mainsail, a jib and a spinnaker. Compared to the Laser (a much more common boatclass), it has a lot more beam and rarely capsizes, making it a "friendly" boat. It got the ISAF International Class status in 1979, and was chosen as the Olympic Women's Keelboat for 2004 and 2008.

AT THE OLYMPICS

A sailing class to look out for at the Olympics as well as a worldwide hit with "youngsters" of all ages for its nimble speed, it weighs in at a mere 1,422 pounds.

This is a 3-person boat in the Olympics, and an incredible excercise in teamwork.


To be sailed only by women at the Olympics, the Yngling races are bound to be full of grit and emotions.

For the Race Schedule, click here.
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Olympics 2008 Sailing : The 470 Class – Getting Grips On The Hardest Olympic Design

The 470 Class fulfills the Olympic double handed sailing discipline for both Men and Women. The strict one design class has proved its excellent suitability as an Olympic Sport during 15 Olympiads (9 for Men and 6 for Women) because of its characteristics as an high performance sailing dinghy, suitable for human athlete body-weights from all continents and very capable of performing in most weather circumstances, from light to heavy wind.


THE 470 DINGHY The 470 is an Olympic class dinghy recognised by ISAF, sailed by both male and female teams. It was designed in 1963 by the frenchman André Cornu, as a modern fiberglass planing dinghy. In 1969 the class was given international status and it has been an olympic class since featuring at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. In 1988 the first olympic womens sailing event was sailed in the 470.


The boat is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, which demands real teamwork. To be competitive, everything should be mastered to perfection and the 470 is often quoted as the hardest Olympic design to get to grips with. Tactically the boat is demanding as speed differences between competitors are small and fleets are usually big.

In Athens in 2004 the 470 womens class was one of ten sailing disciplines competed for and will be used again in Beijing.

PARTICULARS

Length: 4.7m, 15’5"

Length of waterline: 4.4m, 14’6"

Mass: 120kg, 264lbs.

Mast: 6.76m, 22’3"

Total Sail Area: 12.7m^2, 137ft^2

Jib: 3.58m^2, 39ft^2

Main: 9.12m^2, 98ft^2

Spinnaker: 13m^2, 140ft^2


The 470 Races Men & Women are sheduled on the 11th, 12th, 13th & 15th at the olympics this year. Watch out for results on this space! Read more...

Olympics Sailing - The Complete SCHEDULE

With the Olympics around the corner...and a plethora of events - it seems impossible to live without a CORRECT Schedule.


The fabulous Olympic Sailing Center standing in all it's Glory - it is likely to be the hub of furious activity.

A certain Olympic Race Format is adhered to in order to make sure that all the nations get fair competition and the winner is the best man or woman or team.


OLYMPIC SAIL-BOAT CLASSES

This time around, there are 8 classes for which races will be held.

1) 470 (Men/ Women)

2) 49ER

3) FINN

4) LASER (Men/ Women)

5) RS (Men/ Women)

6) STAR MEN

7) TORNADO

8) YNGLING


OLYMPIC SAILING SCHEDULE

9 August 2008, Saturday

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 01

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 01

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 02

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 02


10 August 2008, Sunday

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 01

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 03

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 03

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 02

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 04

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 04

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 03


11 August 2008, Monday

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 01

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 01

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 04

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 01

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 01

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 05

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 05

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 02

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 02

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 05

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 02

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 02

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 06

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 06

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 06


12 August 2008, Tuesday

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 01

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 01

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 03

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 03

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 03

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 03

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 02

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 02

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 04

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 04

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 04

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 04


13 August 2008, Wednesday

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 05

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 05

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 07

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 03

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 03

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 07

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 07

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 06

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 06

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 08

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 04

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 04

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 08

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 08

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 09


14 August 2008, Thursday

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 10

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 05

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 05

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 05

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 05

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 09

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 09

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 11

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 06

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 06

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 06

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 06

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 10

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 10

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 12


15 August 2008, Friday

Multihull - Tornado - Race 01

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 01

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 13

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 07

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 07

Multihull - Tornado - Race 02

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 02

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 14

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 08

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 08

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 15


16 August 2008, Saturday

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn - Race 11(Medal Race)

Heavy Weight Dinghy-Finn Medal Ceremony

Women's Keelboat Yngling - Race 11(Medal Race)

Women's Keelboat Yngling Medal Ceremony

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 07

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 07

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 07

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 07

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 09

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 09

Multihull - Tornado - Race 03

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 03

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 08

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 08

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 08

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 08

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 10

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 10

Multihull - Tornado - Race 04

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 04


17 August 2008, Sunday

Skiff Dinghy-49er - Race 16(Medal Race)

Skiff Dinghy-49er Medal Ceremony

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 09

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 09

Multihull - Tornado - Race 05

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 05

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 10

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 10

Multihull - Tornado - Race 06

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 06


18 August 2008, Monday

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 11(Medal Race)

Men's Two Person Dinghy-470 Medal Ceremony

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 - Race 11(Medal Race)

Women's Two Person Dinghy-470 Medal Ceremony

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 09

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 09

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 10

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 10


19 August 2008, Tuesday

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser - Race 11 (Medal Race)

Men's One Person Dinghy-Laser Medal Ceremony

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial - Race 11(Medal Race)

Women's One Person Dinghy-Laser Radial Medal Ceremony

Multihull - Tornado - Race 07

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 07

Multihull - Tornado - Race 08

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 08


20 August 2008, Wednesday

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 11(Medal Race)

Men's Windsurfer -RS:X Medal Ceremony

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X - Race 11(Medal Race)

Women's Windsurfer -RS:X Medal Ceremony

Multihull - Tornado - Race 09

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 09

Multihull - Tornado - Race 10

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 10


21 August 2008, Thursday

Multihull - Tornado - Race 11(Medal Race)

Multihull - Tornado Medal Ceremony

Men's Keelboat - Star - Race 11(Medal Race)

Men's Keelboat - Star Medal Ceremony


OLYMPICS SAILING - RACE FORMAT

All events, with the exception of the 49er, are scheduled to sail 11 races. The 49er event is scheduled to sail 16 races. For each event the regatta will consist of an opening series and a medal race. The medal race will be scheduled on the day designated for each event's medal ceremony, if by that day six races of the full schedule have already been completed.


The top ten boats in the opening series will advance to compete in the medal race. All advanced boats will be required to compete in the medal race. On-the-water umpiring will be used in the medal race.

A race course will extend from the start line to the finish line via a series of marks, around which the boats must sail. Some courses may include multiple rounding of the same mark. The courses to be sailed will be detailed in the Sailing Instructions.

The boats will have four minutes after the start to cross the start line, or else they will be recorded as "did not start" (DNS). Boats that are on the course side of the start line at the starting signal and do not return and re-cross the start line will be noted as "on course side" (OCS) and will be disqualified.

There will be one discard for the series scores but the medal race shall not be discarded.

Competitors will carry their opening series scores (i.e. total of race scores after discard) to the medal race.

Race scores for the medal race will be doubled (i.e. 2 points for the first place, 4 points for the second place, and so on) and added to the opening series scores.

If the total scores of any series tie after the medal race, it will be broken in favor of the boat finishing higher in the medal race. If the medal race is not completed, medals will be awarded based on the series scores for all the prior races (in the normal way).

After each day's racing there is a protest period, in which the sailors or officials may lodge protests. After this period, the protests will be adjudicated in a series of hearings conducted by the International Jury. Protests may result in scores being adjusted by disqualification (DSQ) or redress (RDG).
(SOURCE)

OLYMPIC SAILING CENTER

The Qingdao International Sailing Center for the Games of the 29th Olympiad is located on the old site of the Beihai shipyard by Qingdao's Fushan Bay in China's Shangdong Province. The Center will cover a total area of 45 hectares (450,000 sq.m.), two thirds of which will be utilised for the competitions.


The whole project is comprised of the Land Area, and the Harbor and the Off-shore Section. The projects on land will provide the administration and competition management center, the athletes' center, the press center, the logistic and functional center, and other affiliated facilities as well. The Harbor and Off-Shore parts will focus on the engineering of the major and secondary breakwater, an embankment, a quay featuring the Olympic Memorial Wall, and the renovation of the shore wall.(SOURCE)

Stay tuned for more on the Olympics on our blog...
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