Mens 470 at London 2012 - Day 5: Australians and Brits guarantee medals
by ISAF & RYA 7 Aug 2012 20:43 BST
7 August 2012
Australia's Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page and Great Britain's Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell are guaranteed to walk away with either a gold or silver medal in the Men's 470.
Both teams have an unassailable lead at the top of the leader board but the Australian's have the advantage going into the Medal Race as they hold a four point lead over the Brits after double bullets on the final day of Men's 470 fleet racing. Belcher and Page have won five of ten races after a shaky start on the opening day.
Page said, "Since we got the first day jitters out the way I've been happy with our style of racing and fighting spirit. It's great to work our way back into it because we were disappointed with how we sailed and it wasn't out normal performance.
"Those results could have hurt us but we stayed strong, believed in ourselves and trusted each other and obviously our unit and continue to deliver. It's great to be back in front again."
Patience and Bithell have pushed the Australians all the way and need to finish two places ahead of them in the Medal Race on 9 August to take gold. "We didn't come here for second place," Patience said. "We're stoked, don't get us wrong. We're really happy boys but there is work to be done. There is yet another race and yet another opportunity to upgrade the medals."
Whilst the top two have their eyes set on the gold a fight for bronze will ensue in the Medal Race. Lucas Calabrese and Juan de la Fuente (ARG) currently hold third on 57 points whilst Gabrio Zandona and Pietro Zucchetti (ITA) trail them by three points and Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders (NZL) are 15 points behind them. Pierre Leboucher and Vincent Garos (FRA) are 17 points behind but are a long shot to take bronze.
The Men's 470 Medal Race takes place on 9 August at 13:00 local time on the Nothe Course.
Results after Day 5: (top five, 10 races)
1. Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS) - 18pts
2. Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell (GBR) - 22pts
3. Lucas Calabrese and Juan de la Fuente (ARG) - 57pts
4. Gabrio Zandona and Pietro Zucchetti (ITA) - 60pts
5. Paul Snow Hansen and Jason Saunders (NZL) - 72pts
www.sailing.org/olympics/london2012
Team GB 470 Boys "Primed and Ready to Attack" (from the RYA)
Olympic debutants Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell know they have won at least a London 2012 silver medal - but the British 470 Men only have their eyes on gold as they head into their medal race showdown with Australia on Thursday (9 August).
Scores of third and second for Patience and Bithell at Weymouth and Portland today (Tuesday 7 August), coupled with two firsts for the Australians Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page, ensured that the top two teams cannot now be overtaken with just the final double points’ medal race to come.
Four points separate the leading Aussies and the Brits in second meaning that to take gold at their first ever Olympics Patience and Bithell need to finish with just one boat between them and their Australian rivals in Thursday’s race.
Stuart said: “We are primed and ready to attack - we are ready! It’s absolutely certain that they will come hunting us down for us to finish last and them second last so it’s going to be a good one to watch that’s for sure! We’re going to need that crowd now more than ever. We are on the podium already so are over the moon. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Luke said: “There is one boat that won’t be as happy, confident or positive as us right now and that is the Australians who are in first looking back at us. While we are looking forwards to attack, they are having to defend. I would much rather be us!
“We are in a win-win situation. It’s theirs to lose and ours to win. We can’t get worse than silver, what a nice place to be in. We are just going to go out there to do all we can. It’s our first Olympics, we are happy boys but we didn’t come here to get second, we came here to win the Olympic Games and that is firmly within our grasp.”
The Men’s 470 medal race is scheduled for Thursday (9 August) at 1pm on the spectator Nothe course.
The Olympic Sailing Regatta runs from Sunday 29 July – Saturday 11 August.
www.rya.org.uk/london2012