Australia wins first Olympic Ynglings race
'Qingdao Olympic Regatta 2008. Yngling'
Guy Nowell © Click Here to view large photo
At the start of the Yngling competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic regatta in Qingdao, it was light weather racing on Course A for the 15 boat Women's keelboat class.
Sofia Bekatorou (GRE) led at the top mark, from Ann le Helley (FRA), with China's Xiagun Song third. Australia's Krystal Weir and crew were seventh at the top mark and surprisingly the British crew Ayton, Webb and Wilson, were last.
The fleet compressed on the run and the French grabbed the lead. Sally Barkow USA stormed into second place, ahead of the Greek team. The Australians had climbed into fifth place and the Brits were now ninth.
The Australians picked a good shift in the second beat to close to second place behind the French. The British favourites slide back to eleventh place; it looked like their race was over.
Down the run however conditions lightened even more and Weir and her crew of Karyn Gojnich and Angela Farrell took the lead. The British team stormed around the fleet on the left to finish in second place. Third was Ekaterina Skudina and crew (RUS).
by Rob Kothe Sail-World.com 
