Toni Wilhelm really wants to know. The man from the Black Forest put a big exclamation mark on his medal ambitions on Saturday afternoon when he won the eighth race. "I was screaming with joy at the finish line, I even fell into the water while celebrating," reported the likeable man from the Black Forest, who was able to clip the wings of the "Flying Dutchman" Dorian van Rijsselberge for the first time. The humorous windsurfer from the Netherlands, who is very popular with the surfers, has taken five wins in eight races so far and can secure his gold medal with another brilliant day on Sunday in the last two races before the medal race.
"There couldn't be a more deserving winner," says Toni Wilhelm, "Dorian surfs here almost like he's from another world." Wilhelm summarised his own performance in winning the day as follows: "I had a great starboard start. Everyone behind me dropped out bit by bit. Tactically, I was also really good and had a lot of speed, then I was able to cover well and bring the lead to the finish."
Not nearly as relaxed as Wilhelm and van Rijsselberge, who said with a wink when asked by YACHTY online that he had spotted two rockets on Toni Wilhelm's board today, was Great Britain's medal candidate Nick Dempsey, who despite finishing second and third was visibly and audibly annoyed that Wilhelm had got the better of him in the eighth race. "I don't like being beaten by a German," the Brit grumbled. "Then let him continue to be annoyed," Wilhelm replied cheerfully. The 29-year-old from Dogern does not want to change his current tactics for the two remaining races on Friday. But he knows: "If someone starts to race others tomorrow, then of course I'll have to face up to it. But I'm not afraid of that. I'm travelling fast."
Wilhelm's training partner Moana Delle is also continuing to surf the wave of success in the Olympic area off Weymouth. The sailor from Kiel finished fourth and ninth on Saturday and, in sixth place overall, is seven points behind the bronze medallist ahead of the final two races. Spain's Marina Alabau is just ahead of Lee-El Korsitz from Israel.
Moana Delle gave away a better placing on Saturday due to a careless mistake when she didn't fully engage her harness rope when adjusting it and fell into the water when it snapped. "I was the lifeguard," she said candidly, "that's very annoying, but I'll try to race well again tomorrow." You can take her word for it. Both German surfers impressed with their refreshing joy even before the start of the Olympic regatta and have never lost any of it even after minor setbacks.
"You can't give more than everything"
Simon Grotelüschen from Lübeck came into the Olympic harbour somewhat disappointed after the tenth and final race before the medal race. "That was a set of X's - nothing," the 25-year-old commented on his day and will start the Laser medal race on Monday in seventh place. He no longer has a chance of precious metal. "My tactics for the starting crosses just weren't so lucky this week," said Grotelüschen, "but I have nothing to criticise myself for: You can't do more than give it your all." The Australian Tom Slingsby is sailing with 25 points and a 14-point lead over the Cypriot Pavlos Kontides, who has sailed outstandingly this week, towards the Olympic victory that he missed out on so bitterly four years ago in China - even then as the top favourite. The Swede Rasmus Mygren (60 points) and the Croatian Tonci Stipanovic (61 points) are expected to compete for bronze. The 2008 Olympic champion no longer has a chance of winning a medal: Paul Goodison is only three points ahead of Simon Grotelüschen in sixth place. The tall man from Lübeck would like to overtake him.
The 470 sailors Kathrin Kadelbach and Friederike Belcher from Hamburg are in ninth place after four races, while their Munich team-mates Ferdinand Gerz and Patrick Follmann are in 15th place after six races. Franziska Goltz was unable to finish the ninth race on Saturday because she was disqualified after another yellow flag - which cannot be cancelled. The 27-year-old finished 21st in the last race before the final of the Laser Radial sailors, bringing her Olympic debut to a close in 26th place.
Showdown in the sailing arena
Ten thousand fans and more are expected to attend the first two medal races of the regatta of the XXX. Olympic Games. At the foot of the old fortress "The Nothe" with its large meadows filled with thousands of spectators on the public course of the same name, two hits of this series will be served up: the double scored final races of the Star and the Finn sailors.
British teams start both races as top favourites. The keelboats are the first to enter the arena. The front runners are double Olympic champions Iain Percy and Andrew "Bart" Simpson (18 points) from Great Britain with an eight-point lead over their Brazilian pursuers, double Olympic champions Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (26 points). A further four points behind the South Americans, the Swedes Freddy Loof and Max Salminen (30 points) are waiting for their chance. Fourth-placed Norwegians Eivind Melleny and Petter Morland Pedersen (53 points) are no longer in contention for the medals. For Berlin's Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen (64 points), who finished seventh overall, it's all about a place between fourth and tenth. Kleen said: "We are looking forward to the final and the experience of sailing in front of a cheering audience." Kleen's medal tip: "It will end like in China: Percy ahead of Scheidt ahead of Loof."
There can only be one
The Star boat final will be followed by a sailing battle of historic significance on Sunday from 2 pm local time: the Finn Dinghies' medal race will be about the 52-year-old Olympic record set by legendary Danish sailor Paul Elvström, who won four gold medals at four consecutive Olympic Games between 1948 and 1960. Britain's sailing star Ben Ainslie, who won his first Olympic silver medal in 1996 and a further three gold medals since then, wants to be the record breaker. With a possible fourth Olympic victory, the 35-year-old could break Elvström's record.
Elvström's compatriot Jonas Hogh-Christensen will do everything in his power to prevent this. The 31-year-old helmsman from Gentofte, Denmark, has a two-point lead going into the final of the top ten Finn dinghy sailors. In the double medal race, two points mean one place. This means that whoever wins can go for gold, but must also keep an eye on the Dutchman Pieter-Jan Postma. And so the cards are dealt: Joans Hogh Christensen leads with 26 points after ten races. Two points behind with 28 points, Ben Ainslie has certainly made a plan to knock the leader off course. With 42 points, Pieter-Jan Postma still has a small chance of intervening in the battle for gold and silver, but on the other hand must fear his pursuers. Jonathan Lobert (47 points) from France, Ivan Gaspic (47 points) and Vasilij Zbogar (49 points) would also like the bronze medal.
Who is the greatest of all time?
In Denmark, all eyes are on Jonas Hogh-Christensen, who said on the eve of the most important race of his sailing career: "It doesn't matter whether Ben wins gold and breaks Elvström's record or not: for me, Elvström will always remain the greatest sailor of all time. Elvström has done so much for the sport of sailing and he always said: 'If you win but lose the respect of your competitors, then you have won nothing'."
Commenting on Ainslie's expected strategy, Hogh-Christensen said: "Ben is the best sailor of our time. He is smart enough not to get involved in a pure duel with me. We both have to watch out for the Dutchman. Besides, it takes two to tango. I want to go out there and win gold. My previous results on the Nothe course speak in my favour. The Finn Dinghy is the toughest class of the Olympic Games. With one of the best sailors of all time at the start. I can't imagine a bigger challenge."
But in an interview with YACHT online, Hogh-Christensen also said: "It's Ben who has his back to the wall. I'm certainly sleeping better than him these days." Jonas Hogh-Christensen's Danish girlfriend Julie, who has recently started living and working in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel, will be following the race together with Jonas' parents. It looks set to be a thriller. With a Dane who likes rock and metal music and is the co-founder of the "Copenhell" festival in Copenhagen. Can this red-bearded favourite also become a hellish opponent for Ben Ainslie in the duel on Sunday and stop the British rider and his "Mission Gold"?
Ainslie promised: "My desire to win this gold medal is almost frightening." The English newspaper "Guardian" wrote: "Ben Ainslie could have the last word at the Games." The BBC reported: "Ben Ainslie is ready to fight for gold." The Telegraph stated: "Ben Ainslie has it in his own hands." There's nothing to add to this, apart from the tip to follow the race on the ARD (sportschau.de) and ZDF (zdfsport.de) live streams.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
