Sailors send ominous warning

Eight NSWIS sailors have won medals at the 2012 Sail for Gold regatta in Weymouth, sailing’s Olympic venue, sending an ominous warning to their Games’ competitors.

Tom Slingsby continued his dominance in the men’s laser class by taking out gold ahead of fellow NSWIS athlete Tom Burton. Slingsby was only five points clear of second place going into the medal race, but then secured the race win to take the overall title, his fifth at the Olympic venue.

NSWIS athlete Malcolm Page and his skipper Mat Belcher were the next on the winners podium, taking victory in the men’s 470 class for the first time at the Olympic venue. The pair had finished second three times at Weymouth, but finished in the top four in all nine races to win break the hoodoo.

Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen shone in the men’s 49er class, winning their fifth straight regatta at the Olympic venue. The tense medal race saw the NSWIS duo finish fourth to win the regatta by a mere two points from their French competitors.

The NSWIS trio of Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty then rounded out the fantastic regatta at Weymouth with a gold medal in the women’s match racing class. The trio won the first race against France, before the French forced a third and deciding tie. However, in testing conditions the Australians held firm to win their first sailing world cup gold.

The world cup event was the final regatta before the Olympic Games begin in late July.