RACES AND REGATTAS
AFTER EIGHT DAYS OF COMPETITION, the Aquece Rio
International Sailing Regatta concluded in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro,
with 19 nations claiming medals. One year before the Olympic Sailing
Competition, the sailors from 50 nations showed their determination
on the racecourse that will be used at Rio 2016.
An impressive fi nish for China’s Aichen Wang came in the Men’s
RS:X, as the Chinese sailor only needed to fi nish in the top eight to win
the gold. Aft er going in with a 17-point lead, Wang fi nished with 23
points, followed by second place fi nisher Byron Kokkalanis (GRE) with
42 points and France’s Pierre Le Coq in third with 46 points.
In the Women’s RS:X, Charline Picon (FRA) won the event for her
second time with 39 points. Poland’s Malgorzata Bialecka took second
and Spain’s Blanca Manchon claimed third.
Australia’s Jason Waterhouse and Lisa
Darmanin claimed gold in the Nacra 17 with a
complete performance across the 12-race series.
True to form, Australians Mathew Belcher
and William Ryan took the top spot in the 470
Men’s division. USA’s Anne Haeger and Briana
Provancha won the 470 Women’s event, beating
out Hanna Mills and Saskia Clark (GBR).
Giles Scott (GBR) claimed the gold in the
Finn division, with Tapio Nirkko (FIN) coming
in second.
Francesco Marrai (ITA) took gold in the
Laser division with Jean Baptiste Bernaz (FRA)
coming in second and Tom Burton (AUS)
taking third.AQUECE RIO - INTERNATIONAL SAILING REGATTA
PHOTO: PEDRO MARTINEZ/SAILING ENERGYLithuania’s Gintare Scheidt grabbed gold in the Laser Radial
despite receiving a discretionary penalty in advance of the Medal
Race. Evi Van Acker (BEL) and Marit Bouwmeester (NED)
completed the podium.
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (NZL) confi rmed their status as the
leading 49 sailors by taking gold in the division.
Home nation favourites and the popular crew of Martine Grael
and Kahena Kunze (BRA) stole the show in the 49erFX. Th e pair came
back from a nine-point defi cit between Italian team Giulia Conti and
Francesca Clapcich.
http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016