Records tumble in the Velodrome as cyclists prove class
GILES SCOTT has set a course for Olympic gold and is bearing down on it at great speed after tightening his hold on top spot in the Finn regatta yesterday.
On a day when five British boats held medal positions on the overall leaderboard, it was Scott who led the way.
It wasn’t entirely straightforward — it never is on a sailing course rated the most complex and challenging in the world by Sir Ben Ainslie.
But after finishing 11th in the day’s first race, Scott breezed to first position in the second. It means he holds a comfortable lead of 12 points after six races.
Five remain, including the double-point medal race, but already Britain’s four-time world champion appears likely to get the one title missing from his collection.
That, of course, is the
consequence of sharing a nationality with Ainslie. But with Ainslie having moved on to the lucrative waters of America’s Cup racing, Scott is cashing in himself on his big chance. A win here would ensure Britain have claimed the Finn gold at every Games going back to 2000.
Scott is joined in sharp-end contention by windsurfer Nick Dempsey, a two-time Olympic medallist who yesterday slipped from top to second.
A second-placed finish in the seventh race of the regatta, his first of the day, had him in charge overall, but finishes of fifth and eighth thereafter have left him eight points off the pace set by Dorian van Rijsselberghe of Holland.
Britain’s Nicola Groves and Ben Saxton sit tied for first in the Mixed Nacra 17 class after four out of 12 races.
A fifth and a third-placed finish has them level with Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin of Australia.
Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark currently sit third in the 470 Women and Nick Thompson is second in the laser class.