Olympic Games 1996

FINN - RACE 8 RACE REPORT - 27 July 1996

With a lack of wind, only 2 knots by 12:00, the start of the Race 8 of the Men's Single-handed Dinghy (Finn) was postponed. Following a delay of an hour, there was still not sign of a start at 13:00 hours, with the wind still only at three knots.

The most activity on the water came from a strong contingent of friends and family on board the spectator boat who were supporting the sailor from Australia, Paul McKenzie. McKenzie won his first ever international race earlier in the series.

The starting sequence got underway at 13:45 in 5 knots from 205 degrees, but the first attempt at a start was aborted due to a wind change during the countdown. At the second start, the Race Committee indicated there were individual recalls, and although GBR returned to cross the line, the individual recall flag was not dropped. The other boats over the start were DEN, AUT, ITA and CAY. The best start went to Roy Heiner (NED) who found clear air in the middle of the line, with FIN, GER, CRO, ITA and BRA starting at the Committee boat end.

Eighteen minutes after the start, Ian Ainslie (RSA) rounded the mark first, followed by Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. Ainslie who celebrates his 31st birthday today, continued to lead to the wing mark, but as they approached neck and neck, Craig Monk (NZL) managed an overlap and rounded one second ahead of Ainslie.

The premature start (PMS) for Austria's Hans Spitzauer (second overall in points going into Race 8) has strengthened the position of overall series leader Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL), who was in fourth position after the wing mark.

The run down to the leewad leg was in extremely light conditions, and expressing concern over the effect of boat wake for the sailors, the Race Committee made a radio request for spectator boats to stand clear.

At the leeward mark, Poland had taken the lead by 10 seconds over NZL by sailing very skilfully down the run. In turn, NZL led RSA by 28 seconds, over AUS, GER and ESP.

Kusznierewicz maintained his lead, continuously drawing ahead from Ainslie. At the top of the second windward leg, the lead read POL, RSA and NZL. However, NZL was to be ousted from his third place by McKenzie (AUS), with Stenhouse (GBR) coming into fourth and NZL fifth by finish.

POL is now the overall leader after 8 races by 11 points over Spitzauer (AUT), who in turn is 11 points ahead of third placed Godefroid (BEL).

Speaking after the finish Kusznierewicz said "There are still three races to go and I must concentrate hard. I got a poor start and that gave me the incentive to do well. I was picking the downwind shifts very well. I had a bit of luck and good boatspeed."