Matthew Sheahan and Steve Ancsell describe how the medals were won results in the Laser and 470 men and women classes at the Olympic test event

Listen to the audio highlights of each of the four medal races as Matt and Steve took to the water to describe the action as it happened.

While light conditions prevailed on the Medal Race course close to Weymouth’s Nothe Fort, the breeze built throughout the afternoon to 10-12 knots. There were spectators afloat and plenty ashore with supporters bringing their national flags and decorating the green hillside where the Olympic Sailing grandstand will be sited for next year’s Olympic Games.

First up was the women’s 470 class in which the British pair Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark were forced to relinquish their week long lead in the class on the final day to Japanese sailors Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata. With just one point separating the pair the race promised to be a needle match from the start, as indeed it was.

Audio highlights of the 470 womens’ medal race

Next in line was the mens’ 470 race. Here the French team of Pierre Leboucher and Garos Vincent had a decent 14 point margin over the Australian team of Matthew Belcher and Malcolm Page who in turn were comfortably ahead of Israeli sailors Gideon Kliger and Eran Sela. Yet none could afford to relax as the action on the race course proved.

Audio highlights of the 470 mens’ medal race

As tight as you like, just three points separated the the top three sailors in the Laser mens’ class with Andrew Murdoch (NZL), Tom Slingsby (AUS) and Rutger van Schaardenburg all capable of taking gold. But there was more competition lurking in fourth where Britain’s Paul Goodison could stir things up for the front runners – as indeed he did. Someone was to go home empty handed and bitterly diasappointed

Audio highlights of the Laser Radial medal race

Safe before she had even started, Dutch sailor Marit Bouwmeester had dominated this class since the beginning of the week and was assured of a Gold medal leaving Evi van Acker of Belgium and Paige Railey of USA to thrash out silver and bronze between them. Yet despite Bouwmeester’s assured overall result there were some surprises in store.

Audio highlights of the Laser Radial medal race

If you don’t want to know the final results before you hear the story of how they did it from our vantage point on the race course, look away now, as they say.

If you just can’t wait to find out how today’s racing panned out scroll down.

MEDAL RACE RESULTS – FRIDAY 12 AUG

470 Women
Gold – Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata (JPN)
Silver – Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark (GBR)
Bronze – Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout

470 men
Gold – Pierre Leboucher and Garos Vincent (FRA)
Silver – Matthew Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS)
Bronze – Gideon Kliger and Eran Sela

Laser Men
Gold – Tom Slingsby (AUS)
Silver – Rutger van Schaardenburg
Bronze – Paul Goodison

Laser Radial women
Gold – Marit Bouwmeester (NED)
Silver – Evi van Acker (BEL)
Bronze – Paige Railey (USA)

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