Sailors have London in sight

NSWIS sailors Nathan Outteridge, Iain Jensen and Tom Slingsby have signalled their intentions ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games with gold medals at the 2011 Weymouth and Portland International Regatta, the official Olympic test event ahead of next year’s Games.

Slingsby won the first of the gold with a nailbiting victory in the men’s laser; heading into the medal race only one point back of first and one in front of third. Slingsby managed to cross the line ahead of the third place Dutchman who subsequently called a protest on a technicality. After a tense wait Slingsby was awarded the victory, taking his tally of wins at the Olympic venue to a perfect four from four.

Outteridge’s and Jensen’s victory in the men’s 49er was even closer than Slingsby’s in the men’s laser. The NSWIS duo finished level on points with their Spanish competitors after the medal race, however the pair was awarded gold after they finished ahead of the Spaniards in the medal race. Like Slingsby, Outteridge and Jensen have won four gold medals at the Olympic venue.

Fellow NSWIS athlete Malcolm Page also climbed the medal dais over the weekend, finishing with silver in the men’s 470. Page was joined by skipper Mat Belcher; the pair headed into the final race 14 points behind the leaders before finishing fourth in the medal race and second overall.

Other results from the regatta included Jessica Crisp’s eighth in the women’s RS:X.