Australia wins 470 Women at Olympic sailing

2008-08-18 06:59:51 GMT2008-08-18 14:59:51 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English

The team of Australia (L) competes during the 470 Women Medal Race at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games sailing event at Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center in Qingdao, an-Olympic co-host city in eastern China's Shandong Province, Aug. 18, 2008. Australian pair Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson won the gold medal. (Xinhua Photo)

Elise Rechichi (R) and Tessa Parkinson celebrate their victory. (Photo credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

QINGDAO, East China, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Australian duo Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson claimed 470 Women gold medal at Olympic Sailing Regatta here on Monday.

Leading the preliminaries with an 18-point margin over the Netherlands, the Australian pair tried to block its nearest rival from the first mark, finishing 9th and 10th respectively. The Netherlands managed to escape the block to leave the Australians the last in the second mark.

While Brazil led the fleet in the third mark, the Netherlands rebounded to the 6th position. Brazil kept its advantage to the finishing line and Netherlands finished 5th. Although Australia finished 9th in the medal race, its overall 43 points sealed up Australia's second gold medal at Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center.

The total 53 points brought Marcelien de Koning and Lobke Berkhout from the Netherlands the silver medal and the bronze medal went to Fernanda Oliveira and Isabel Swan from Brazil with 60 points.

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