GOLD WITHIN REACH FOR AUSTRALIA'S 470 GIRLS
by Isabelle Musy on 25 Sep 2000
Isabelle Musy
Gold is within close reach for Australia's 470 women crew, Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell. The two girls came 4th in heat 9 and won heat 10 today on middle harbour's course C.
Armstrong and Stowell are now leading by 8 points from their German rivals Birkner and Bulle, who had the exact same results today as the Aussie pair.
The medal competition remains very open as it's still very close within the top five.
The veterans Americans Isler and Glaser are only one point behind the Germans, and one point ahead of Israeli's Kedmi and Fabrikant.
World number one and Atlanta bronze medallists, Ukrainian Taran and Pakolchik, haven't had their final say as they're 5th overall only four points behind the German pair.
If Armstrong and Stowell managed to finish within the top 9 in the final heat tomorrow they would be the first Australian sailors to grab gold since 1972.
Skipper Jenny Armstrong is a former Kiwi Europe sailor. She competed in Atlanta and came 4th. Belinda Stowell is a former Zimbabwean big yacht sailor but has been sailing in Australia for a while as she won the 420 Worlds with Anna Coxon in 1995.
The pair has been sailing in a 470 since June 1997 under the guidance of gold medal coach Victor Kovalenko, former Ukrainian coach and regarded as the world expert in the 470 class.
Tomorrow, the 470 fleet will have a break before their final race on Wednesday.
RACE 10 RESULTS: 1. AUS, 2. ISR, 3. USA, 4. GER, 5. UKR, 6. ARG, 7. ITA, 8. DEN, 9. ESP, 10. NED.
PROGRESSIVE RESULTS AFTER 10 RACES AND TWO DISCARDS: 1. AUS 333 PTS, 2. GER 41 PTS, 3.USA 42 PTS, 4. ISR 43 PTS, 5. UKR 45 PTS, 6. ESP, 7. GRE, 8. JPN 55 PTS, 9, SWE 57 PTS.
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