The winds cooperated for jam-packed medal race sailing action on Tuesday.
Five Olympic champions were crowned in four classes: Women’s Laser Radial, men’s Laser, men’s Finn and mixed Nacra 17.
On Wednesday, that number changes to one class, the 470.
Men’s and women’s 470
The men of the 470 sail off for gold on Wednesday, but one thing is certain: Only Croatia’s Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (27 net points), Greece’s Panagiotis Mantis and Pavlos Kagialis (38) and Australia’s Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan (40), who are the gold medal favorites, will compete for medals.
In medal races, points count as double, so a 10th place finish will accrue in 20 points, 9th will accrue 18 and so on.
Team USA’s Stu McNay and Dave Hughes, although in fourth overall, have accrued too many points (68) and cannot score low enough to land a spot on the podium.
Gold medal favorites on the women’s side, Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie of New Zealand will not compete for gold.
Great Britain’s Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark have clinched Olympic gold. They have only 28 net points heading into the medal race and no other competitor can score low enough to surpass them in the standings.
Aleh and Powrie had an impressive final three races of the opening series, they climbed from seventh overall to second on Tuesday and now have 48 net points. Annie Haeger and Briana Provancha of Team USA are just one point behind with 49 net points heading into the medal race.
The Americans are in silver and bronze medal contention, but the field is deep to contend for those medals.