Womens RS:X at London 2012 - Day 5: Shaw keeps medal hopes alive
by RYA 5 Aug 2012 21:26 BST
5 August 2012
Bryony Shaw kept her windsurfing medal hopes alive after picking up her first race win of London 2012 on day eight of the Olympic Regatta at Weymouth and Portland today (Sunday 5 August).
The Tunbridge Wells athlete posted an impressive race win and a credible fifth in her two races today out on Portland Harbour course. With the RS:X Women's medal race taking place in front of the Nothe spectator course on Tuesday, Shaw currently sits 11 points off bronze and silver medal positions – with the athletes currently occupying those two positions, Lee-El Korzits (ISR) and Tuuli Petäjä (FIN) tied on 38 points - heading into the deciding double-pointer.
The Beijing 2008 bronze medallist currently occupies seventh overall. With a new lease of life after securing her first race win of the London 2012 Sailing regatta, Shaw insists she will go out on Tuesday and do her best.
"Throughout the week it's not really been my regatta so I was happy to get a win today and have a smile on my face and enjoy it. I'll just go out there after the rest day (Monday) and try to do my best in the medal race and try and put on a good show."
In the opening race of today, Shaw led from start to finish in front of Brazil's Patricia Freitas in second and Moana Delle from Germany in third. In her second race (race 10), Shaw started well but could not take the advantage on the downwind legs of the race, finishing in fifth overall.
"It was difficult conditions today, very marginal so not planing on the fin but my board speed was really good. I won my first race so I was really happy about that, it meant I could work my way to the front of the fleet.
"I was leading the second race as well and it was just unfortunate that on both downwinds there was pressure from behind so the girls would catch me up then I'd extend, then they'd catch me up again so I finished in fifth."
The RS:X Women's medal race is scheduled for Tuesday 7 August (2pm) on the spectator Nothe course.
The Olympic Sailing Regatta runs from Sunday 29 July – Saturday 11 August.
www.rya.org.uk/london2012