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Ainslie sets record as Australia rule waves - London 2012 - Sailing

12/08/2012

Ben Ainslie became the Games' most decorated sailor of all time at London 2012 but Australia replaced his country, Great Britain, as the most successful Sailing nation.

Ainslie overcame a tough start to Finn class proceedings to win a fourth successive gold medal, which saw him replace Denmark's legendary Paul Elvstrom as the Games' most decorated sailor ever.

The 35-year-old's gold was the Host Nation's only one on home waters, while Australia's three-gold haul saw them top the medal table.

Australia's Tom Slingsby kicked things off with a comprehensive victory in the Laser class, before Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen won men's 49er gold at a canter.

Men's 470 pair Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page then took gold on the penultimate day of racing, which was enough to see Australia end Britain's Sailing dominance of the past three Games - although the British still won more medals than any other nation.

'When it was presented to us in various times in the lead-up it almost made us a bit sick because it's not what we're about,' said Australia Sailing team's High Performance Director Peter Conde.

'But having said all of that, at the end of the day, it's nice. If you think back to Sydney in 2000 the Brits came and rained on our parade as sailors and were the top nation.

'So I think it's fitting that we returned serve here.'

Spain - rather surprisingly - finished second in the Sailing medal table after Marina Alabautook women's RS:X gold and Tamara Echegoyen skippered the women's Elliott 6m Match Racing team to glory.

Dorian van Rijsselberge's performance in the men's RS:X class was arguably the most impressive of the regatta, with the Netherlands windsurfer wrapping up gold before the end of the opening series.

In the women's 470 class, Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie secured New Zealand yachting's first non-boardsailing gold since 1984, while Xu Lijia of China finished top of the women's Laser Radial standings after a four-way tussle for glory in the medal race.

The surprise of the regatta came in the Star medal race as Sweden's Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen snatched gold ahead of favourites Great Britain and Brazil.

Discover the best photos of London 2012

  • 4th Olympic Gold for Bradley Wiggins

    London – 1 August 2012: In the space of less than a month, Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France, then became Olympic time trial champion in front of a home crowd. Here he poses with his gold medal, holding aloft the British flag, with the pride of winning of his fourth gold medal at three Olympic Games, but his very first on the road.

  • Individual time trial podium

    London – 1 August 2012: Great Britain’s Bradley Wiggins (gold), flanked by Germany’s Tony Martin (silver) and his fellow countryman Chris Froome (bronze) on the podium for the men’s road time trial, in front of Hampton Court Palace in Richmond-Upon-Thames, Greater London. Wiggins won this event to take his fourth Olympic gold medal, but the first on the road... only a few days after completing the Tour de France on the Champs Elysées wearing the yellow jersey.

  • Bradley Wiggins unforgettable win

    London – 1 August 2012: untouchable in the time trial, crowned Olympic champion for the fourth time in his career, but the first time on the road, Great Britain’s Bradley Wiggins triumphant before his home crowd after winning with a 42-second lead over Germany’s Tony Martin at the end of the 44km race. He raised his arms and continued in the clamour to Hampton Court Palace where he was awarded his gold medal.

  • Bradley Wiggins untouchable on the road

    London – 1 August 2012: On the track, Great Britain’s Bradley Wiggins is a three-time Olympic gold medallist in the individual and team pursuit, and six-time world champion. On the road, he had just won the Tour de France. Supported by a host of people, he broadly dominated the individual time trial over the 44km route in the South West of London, finishing in a time of 50:39.54, some 42 seconds ahead of Germany’s Tony Martin to win his fourth title and his seventh medal in three Olympic Games.

  • Wrestling: Ghasem Rezaei was crowned Olympic champion in the 96kg Greco-Roman event

    London - 7 August 2012: Iran’s Ghasem Gholamreza Rezaei (in red) faces Russia’s Rustam Totrov in the final of the Greco-Roman wrestling 96kg category at the ExCeL Arena. Rezaei won 2-0 (2-0, 1-0), taking one of Iran’s three gold medals in wrestling at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

  • Wrestling: Ghasem Rezaei's euphoria at his victory

    London - 7 August 2012: Iran’s Ghasem Gholamreza Rezaei is knocked over by his coach on the mat at the ExCel Arena after his 2-0 (2-0, 1-0) victory in the final of the Greco-Roman wrestling 96kg category against Russia’s Rustam Totrov. Rezaei took one of Iran’s three gold medals in wrestling at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

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