Sailors battle to stay in touch

Two New Zealand teams scrapped hard today to get into the medal hunt in the Olympic sailing.

The men’s 470 team of Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox had placings of 7, 13 and 8 to end the day in fifth position overall, with two races left before the medal race.

Willcox acknowledged that as it gets to the point end of racing, the pressure is going on.

“I felt like we had the boxing gloves out and took a few jabs to the face today,” he said. “But we were giving some too – it was hard racing.”

Snow-Hansen said that with three races left, “it’s all to play for tomorrow”.

“We’ve been consistent through most of the regatta and that’s helped. If we can get in a couple of good races tomorrow, we’ll be in good shape.”

Josh Junior had two race in the men’s finn today and had placings of 8 and 1.

“It’s the Olympics and it’s tough,” he said. “If you don’t do what you need to, you get punished. I’m hanging in there. I’m not where I want to be yet.”

Junior said that in his second race of the day he took a risk and stuck out on one side. “It paid off and I got the biscuit. I needed to win, so I figured it was worth the gamble.”

Going into the medal race, the New Zealander finds himself in fourth position overall, but a little adrift from the leading three. “I have to win the medal race, then hope someone in front finishes in the bottom half of the fleet.”

Nacra sailors Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson were placed 17, 8 and 14 today and finished 12th overall.

Sam Meech made it into the laser medal race but did not have the best of days and trailed the 10-strong fleet home. His 10th placing overall disappointed the Rio medallist – he felt in good form coming into the regatta, but things did not fall his way.