Official RS:X Olympic Windsurfing Class Website

The third closed-door LIVE Q&A TeleSeries Session, this time with Joao Rodrigues [POR]  and Ricardo Santos [BRA] is scheduled to take place on Tuesday August 24th at 7.00PM GMT

JOAO RODRIGUES [POR] is a multiple European Champion and  World Champion in Olympic Windsurfing. He won his first World Championship way back in 1995 and yet only 2 weeks ago won Skandia Sail For Gold on the 2012 Olympic Venue

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RICARDO SANTOS [BRA] won the 2007 RS:X World Championships and finished 4th at the 2004 Olympic Regatta. He is probably one of the two The best windsurf  racers that have ever come out of South America. Bimba, as he is known by his buddies, has unfinished business in the world of elite windsurfing.

The story in the RS:X Women's fleet was one of what might have been. Blanca Manchon [ESP] who dominated the racing all week faltered at the last fence and put in a poor medal race in Weymouth on Saturday. Don't get me wrong. You have to be in it to win as I said in an earlier report and she was certainly in it to win.

The problem was it just did not work out as planned for last year's golden girl. It was Charline Picon [FRA] who took the medal race by the scruff of the kneck and lead almost from the start. Behind her, Bryony Shaw [GBR] had to put in a good one having been beating herself up all week and adding unnecessary pressure to a pressurised situation

My last report stated a simple fact - You have to be in it to Win it - and that indeed is true but the task turned out to be too much for Julien Bontemps [FRA] and Nick Demspsey [GBR] who went into the medal race yesterday tied on points at the top of the leader board.

Which ever way you cut it there were four racers in the hunt for gold and as Nick said earlier in the week, the start is becoming all important in these short circuit medal races. He was last onto the line. Choosing to come in on a charge at the very last second just behind Julien in the hope that he could spook him into starting early.

It’s too close to call in the RS:X Men’s fleet. Britain’s Nick Dempsey celebrated his 30th birthday today, but wouldn’t have enjoyed his 28th place in the first race of the day. (pictured at top American sailor Ben Barger (USA-7) photo credit onEdition)

It was his first double-figure score of the week and it let France’s Julian Bontemps finish the day on equal points by way of a 4-3 scoring ling.  Holland’s Dorian Van Rijsselberge is one point adrift of the leading pair after posting two second place finishes on the day. Joao Rodrigues (POR) regained his form to win the last race of the day and finds himself in striking distance just 5 points out but will need some help from the other sailors to make it to the podium. With only one discard for the whole regatta anything can happen and given the up and down performances with in the fleet no one can afford even a single bad race.

Notable performance of the day has to go to France’s Benjamin Tillier who surprised everyone by winning the day’s first race. Tillier has no shot at the podium but will certainly relish the victory as he builds momentum his campaign up for the upcoming world championships in Kerteminde, Denmark from August 26th thru September 5th.

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The end of day 3 at the Skandia sail For Gold Regatta and the trapdoor opened and then instantly shut. Those who fell, fell into the silver fleet from which there is no way back. Those who avoided the drop are now fully focused on establishing a top 10 position that will guarrantee them a tilt at glory in the double points scoring medal race on the final day.

The business end of the RS:X women's fleet has Blanca Manchon hanging on to a 3 point lead over over France's Charline Picon in 2nd with Bryony Shaw [GBR] seemingly off the pace a further 12 points back. You'd be wise not to write the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist off though. She is racing on her home water and knows a thing or two about closing out a regatta.