Olympic Games 1996

470 MEN - RACE 10 RACE REPORT - 30 July 1996

Currently ranked first overall going into Race 10 were Ihor Matviyenko and Yevhen Braslavets (UKR), who if they continued to sail in the top nine places would almost guarantee themselves the gold medal without having to race tomorrow.

Dmitriy Beryozkin and Yevgeniy Burmatnov (RUS) who after Race 9 are ranked in 5th place overall, extended a good lead from the pin end, which was so successful for them in Race 6, and were enjoying making a comeback after their poor performance in Race 9, and clearly led at the first mark. RUS had lost their 3rd overall ranking to GBR, and 4th overall went to ARG who had previously been in 7th, while RUS came in at 5th place overall.

While the Russians still led at the top mark for the second time it was the Americans who were fast charging, to try to make up for their premature start in Race 9, and had moved into second place. Merricks and Walker (GBR) were also showing their tremendous boat speed as they moved through the fleet from rounding the first mark in 17th place to now being 5th as they headed into the final two legs to the finish.

Braslavets and Matviyenko were in 9th position, and if they could hold or improve on this they would clinch the gold medal.

At the finish it was the American supporters cheering first with Reeser and Burnham winning by 10 seconds from Merricks and Walker, with early race leaders from Russia slipping to 4th on the second to last leg.

Braslavets and Matviyenko (UKR) managed to finish well enough to secure them the gold with a race remaining. This was a fantastic display of sailing, which was accepted by all as performance worthy of the gold.

The final race for the Men's Double-handed Dinghy (470) will be raced on Thursday, 1 August. This will be a very interesting race off between the remaining sailors in contention for the silver and bronze medals, places which are currently held by Merricks and Walker (GBR) in second and Rocha and Barreto (POR) in third. American sailors Reeser and Burnham may contest their PMS disqualification from Race 9, and if successfully in being reinstated in first for that race, would move up the overall standing to lie in second place going into the final race.

Ian Walker (GBR) summed up his, and team-mate John Merricks' rapid return to form as "this was the comeback from Heaven."