Finn medal race - The Ben and Jonas show
It's been brewing all week and has gone right down to the wire. The on-the-water – and sometimes off-the-water – battle between Jonas Høgh-Christensen (DEN) and Ben Ainslie (GBR) will reach its exciting conclusion on Sunday when the Finn class medal race takes place.
The final showdown between Høgh-Christensen, the double world champion at his third Olympics, against Ainslie, the three time Olympic champion and six time Finn world champion, has ignited the worldwide press as they slaver over the prospect of the most momentous dinghy race in history.
There is a lot at stake. If you didn't know by now Ainslie is hunting for his fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal to become the most decorated Olympic sailor of all time, surpassing the original Great Dane Paul Elvstrøm's four gold medals between 1948 and 1960. There is also a slight sense that Høgh-Christensen is defending Elvstrøm's record and honour. Both are already all but guaranteed medals – the medal race will decide the colour.
Høgh-Christensen was the early pace setter when the Finn racing started last Sunday, winning the first three races to the backdrop of a shocked British audience concerned that their golden boy perhaps wasn't up to the job. Høgh-Christensen has led the competition from the first mark of the first race and still leads going into the medal race. A lot of questions were asked of Ainslie as to what was going on, but he didn't have the answer in the first half of the week. His answer finally came on both of the two final days of the opening series as he clawed back his points deficit and showed some of his true form to go into the medal race effectively level with the Great Dane Mk 2.
During the half-way stage lay day, something changed in Ainslie. He came back out with gritted teeth, looking determined to stop to the downward spiral. But it still wasn't easy, fighting his way back twice from lowly positions at the top mark. But that is what has made him famous, making incredible comebacks against adversity, and this is what was lacking in the first half of the week.
The best scorer in the second half of the week was in fact Pieter-Jan Postma (NED) with a 2,2,1,2 scoreline, lifting him to the bronze medal position. One of the best sailors in recent years he has never won a major championship but picked up a silver medal at the 2011 world championship and a bronze at the 2011 Olympic Test Event. He is no pushover.
Høgh-Christensen and Postma have also been vilified in the British press after the race eight mark touching incident – the Great Dane has even been marked as Public Enemy No 1 in the UK – but the disagreement appeared to be forgotten on Friday as a cheerier Ainslie moved within the vital two points of Høgh-Christensen, effectively cancelling any points advantage. It has set up a thrilling winner takes all scenario on Sunday, providing they finish within the top seven boats.
Showdown
What can we expect from the medal race? Some pundits are already looking forward to an Ainslie trademark match race, but realistically this is unlikely to happen as they both need to keep half an eye on Postma.
In fact there will probably be two, or even three, races going on. The first will be between Høgh-Christensen and Ainslie as whoever is in front will no doubt cover the guy behind pretty tightly. Expect to see them start close together but sail their own races until it is under control.
Unless Postma decides to take a risk – and his style is to attack rather than defend – the second race will be for the bronze with him trying to protect his five point lead. On the water this means he needs to be within two places of Jonathan Lobert (FRA) and Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) and within three places of Vasilij Zbogar (SLO). Realistically Postma could inflict damage on one of his opponents and go for the gold, but to do it to both is a tall order while also protecting his position against three other boats, all eager to fill the gap should he falter.
