Extraordinary Mixed Dinghy Medal Race
by Mark Jardine 8 Aug 2024 11:16 BST
8 August 2024
Teams ahead of the Mixed Dinghy Medal Race at Paris2024 on August 8, 2024 in Marseille, France © World Sailing / Jean-Louis Carli
The Mixed Dinghy Medal Race was finely poised with four teams realistically in with a chance of medals, and none of the colours decided.
Lara Vadlau and Lukas Maehr (AUT) led on 24 points, Jordi Xammar Hernandez and Nora Brugman Cabot (ESP) were 7 points back on 31 points, Keiju Okada and Miho Yoshioka just 4 back on 35 points and, ready to pounce, Anton Dahlberg and Lovisa Karlsson (SWE) a further 4 points back on 39 points.
For the first time in a few days, a morning breeze had filled in, so racing was under way on time. In the pre-start the Spanish team were keeping a close eye on the Austrian leaders at the committee boat end.
At the gun Australia were called over the line, having to restart, but the rest went away cleanly. The Spanish and Swedish boats led a pack out to the right, while the Japanese team led a pack to the left. Lara Vadlau and Lukas Maehr had a poor start and were only ninth on the first upwind leg.
The left option paid, with Keiju Okada and Miho Yoshioka crossing the fleet and then heading further left once they'd consolidated their lead. This further move allowed Camille Lecointre and Jeremie Mion (FRA) to lead at the windward mark, but the Japanese team rounded second. At this point they were set for gold with Austria in silver and the Spanish team bronze.
Downwind the Japanese team held their nerve, while the Spanish and Austrian teams gybed early, but failed to gain, rounding the leeward gate in ninth and tenth respectively. The pair's private battle had let the Japanese get away, as well as letting the Australian team (who were OCS) through.
Lara Vadlau and Lukas Maehr overtook Jordi Xammar Hernandez and Nora Brugman Cabot on the upwind leg, climbing to sixth, which put them back into the gold medal position, while Sweden's Anton Dahlberg and Lovisa Karlsson were also on the climb.
At the final windward mark the positions were FRA, POR, JPN, SWE, AUS, AUT, ISR, SUI, ESP, BRA. On the downwind the Austrians were in the gold medal position, the Japanese team were in silver and the Swedes were in bronze.
The French team of Camille Lecointre and Jeremie Mion won the Medal Race, but were out of contention for medals. It was all to play for behind them. The Portuguese team of Diogo Costa and Carolina Joao finished second, with Japan finishing third and celebrating wildly to seal the silver medal.
Lara Vadlau and Lukas Maehr finished seventh, which was enough to win gold by 3 points, while Sweden's Anton Dahlberg and Lovisa Karlsson fourth in the medal race pushed them up to grab bronze ahead of the Spanish team of Jordi Xammar Hernandez and Nora Brugman Cabot, who finished fourth overall after their disastrous medal race.
Full results can be found at paris2024.sailing.org/racing/results-centre
More photos and quotes to follow...