12 STARS TO CONQUEST GOLD
by Isabelle Musy on 25 Sep 2000
Jessica Statham
Medal contention will be most competitive in oldest Olympic sailing Star
class as there are only 11 points difference between the leader and the last
one after the first two races.
The 12-nation Star fleet will sail heat 3 and 4 today. The medal competition
remains wide open and anything can happen in this class which proved to be
most competitive on first day of racing.
There was a complete reverse of form in race 2 when Kiwi Match Racer Gavin
Brady and his Jamie Gale won it after having finished last in race 1.
It was the other way round for serious Gold Medal contenders, US Mark
Reynolds and Magnus Liljedahl who came 3rd in heat 2 and after finishing
third last in heat 1.
Atlanta Gold Medallists, Brazil's Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira weren't
much more consistent as they finished 3rd of the first race and 13th in the
second one.
The most consistent that day were Spain's Van der Ploeg and Trujillo, who
finished 2nd and 4th and are currently the overall leaders.
Britain's Ian Walker, Atlanta 470 silver medallist, had a good first day as
well and stands in second place in the point's table.
As the breeze should again be stronger today on Sydney Harbour, it will be
interesting to see if that change of weather conditions compare to first day
of racing will favour any of the 12 Star crew.
However it should intense and tight racing again in this Class.
PROGRESSIVE RESULTS AFTER 2 RACES: 1. ESP 6 PTS, 2. GBR 10 PTS, 3. ITA 11
PTS, 4. CAN 12 PTS, 5. NED 12 PTS, 6. BER 14 PTS, 7. BRA 16 PTS, 8. AUS 16
PTS, 9. NZL 17 PTS, 10. USA 17 PTS, 11. GER 17 PTS. 12. GRE 17 PTS, 13. ARG
25 PTS, 14. IRL 27 PTS, 15. SUUI 27 PTS, 16. SWE 28 PTS.
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