Tobin tops medal race for fourth place finish

New Zealand windsurfer Jon-Paul Tobin (left) has finished just outside the medals at the Weymouth and Portland 2011 International Regatta at the Olympic venue where the first two of the medal races were sailed last night.

Tonight Andrew Murdoch, still leading the Laser event, will line up for his medal race as will Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie lying 7th in the Women’s 470.

Jon-Paul Tobin secured a medal race win overnight enough to see him gain two places on the leader-board and just one agonising point off a bronze medal - he went into it lying sixth.

“Super close finish for a podium spot,” Tobin says. “I landed in fourth just one point off ‘Pont’ (Poland) who claimed the bronze.”

“What a battle - having started the regatta in average shape with the flu, I’m happy to manage my way through to find some good form over the final races and to conclude with a bullet in the medal race.”

Over the course of the regatta the kiwi placed top six in seven of the eleven races sailed rounding out the event with two race wins including the high pressure medal race. Tobin is coached by former Olympic medallist for New Zealand Aaron McIntosh.

In the end there was just one point separating gold and silver in the Men’s RS:X as well, Dorian van Rijsselberge sealing the deal for the gold by the narrowest of margins from Nick Dempsey of Great Britain.

Natalia Kosinska will be pleased with her tenth place finish at this event, she was ninth in the Women’s RS:X medal race overnight.

Team Director Jez Fanstone and Kosinska’s coach Dave Robertson have been impressed with how the new comer to the NZL Sailing team has improved over recent months and are clear that this top ten finish from her, within the Olympic Test environment, is very encouraging.

“We are impressed with Natalia’s performance; it’s a big step up for her, her first medal race, and improving all the time," says Fanstone. "The amount of work she’s put it, how fit she is and how committed and determined in all her training she is.”

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke continued to challenge the world’s best in the 49er skiff class racing two further races overnight in Weymouth, placing fourth in the opener then taking a satisfying win.

After a total of 13 races they have 48 points, five points adrift of Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (AUS) who have been overtaken for the lead by Spain’s Iker de Lizarduy and Xabier Fernandez Gaztanaga. Just one point separates the two top placed crews.

The 49er fleet will use tomorrow’s scheduled rest day if possible with a view to complete the 15 race series before the medal race on Saturday in Weymouth.

The Star fleet including Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk sailed two races overnight however results are yet to be published. No racing was completed for the Finn fleet.

The penultimate day of the regatta, set for tonight New Zealand time, will be an exciting one with Andrew Murdoch hunting gold in the Laser and the New Zealand’s second best-placed crew, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke back out for two more races well in touch with the leaders.

“Really exciting day tomorrow,” confirms Fanstone, “everyone is looking forward to watching Andrew racing in the Laser medal race and he’s looking forward to it for sure. And Peter and Blair have the chance to close up the gap on the gold medal.”

Weymouth and Portland 2011 International Regatta
New Zealand’s Current Standings

1st - Andrew Murdoch: Laser (4, 5, 2, 3, 11, 4, 8, 12, 9, 2)
3rd - Peter Burling and Blair Tuke: 49er (11, 16, 3, 3, 1, 3, 9, 5, 3, 3, 2, 4, 1)
4th - Jon-Paul Tobin: RS:X Men (6, 6, 9, 16, 5, 11, 2, 4, 21, 1, medal race:1)
7th - Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie: 470 Women (21, 11, 2, 26 BFD, 3, 3, 17, 4, 1, 7)
8th - Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk: Star (5, 2, 15, 7, 10, 22DNS)
8th - Dan Slater: Finn (13, 18, 5, 2, 28OCS, 4, 7, 9)
10th - Natalia Kosinska: RS:X Women (12, 10, 4, 7, 7, 11, 12, 14, 19, 8, medal race: 9)
15th - Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders: 470 Men (17, 16, 4, 13, 15, 33OCS, 4, 16, 11,33DSQ)
22nd - Sara Winther: Radial (11, 26, 26, 21, 15, 25, 18, 8, 10, 50DNF)