Denmark's Anne-Marie Rindom held onto her overnight lead to win gold at the Laser Radial Women's World Championship in Japan.
The Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist captured the second world title of her career after her 2015 triumph as she ended on 50 points at Miho Bay in Sakaiminato. She only led by two points over Turkey's Ecem Güzel going into the final day of racing but in the end claimed a massive win by 36 points as Dutch sailor Marit Bouwmeester finished second.
Rindom's success comes despite her disqualification in the second race of the regatta which saw her awarded 57th place. That result was discarded from her final score but would have been damaging should it have come into play.
In the end it did not matter as her results of sixth and 15th were enough for overall victory as she added world gold to her European title.
“There is no doubt that if I am selected I go to the Olympics to fight for medals,” Rindom said to DR. “That's why I'm training.”
Güzel dropped from second to 10th on 120 points after finishing 52nd and 47th today, with the better finish counting towards her score.
It allowed reigning Olympic champion Bouwmeester, who was hoping for a fourth world title, to claim silver on 86 points despite a 57th-place retirement in the first race today. That performance was discarded, while she was 10th second time around to move up from fourth position.
Britain's Alison Young moved up to clinch bronze on 89 points with a discarded 37th and an 11th place today.
Finland's Tuula Tenkanen was third overnight but slipped out of the medals to eighth place after finishing 18th and 51st, with the latter discarded. She ended on 116 points.
Belgium's reigning world champion Emma Plasschaert moved up from fifth to fourth and ended with a tally of 106, recording a discarded 31st and a 30th today.
Sarah Douglas of Canada won today's first race and was 31st overall, with the second race won by Thailand's 52nd place finisher Kamolwan Chanyim.
In the Men’s Championship, Simon de Gendt (BEL) held his lead to win the event followed by Zac West (AUS), despite West’s retirement from the final race. Guilherme Perez (BRA) and Erwan Lamoueux (SUI) traded places for the day, with Pereze claiming third and Lamoueux finishing fourth overall. Mark Louis (AUS) held onto fifth place.
Women:
1. Anne-Marie Rindom DEN 50 (135) pts…total (without two discards)
2. Marit Bouwmeester NED 86 (158) pts
3. Alison Young GBR 89 (156) pts
4. Emma Plasschaert BEL 106 (158) pts
5. Marie Barrue FRA 106 (176) pts
Australian Results
41. Zoe Thomson
42 Mara Stransky
59. Elyse Ainsworth
75. Casey Imeneo
77. Annie Eastgate
2020 Olympic Qualification (14 countries for 10 places):
1. Croatia CRO 164 pts
2. Lithuania LTU 178 pts
3. Argentina ARG 185 pts
4. Belarus BLR 211 pts
5. Australia AUS 213 pts
6. Uruguay URU 225 pts
7. Russia RUS 232 pts
8. Ireland IRL 233 pts
9. New Zealand NZL 234 pts
10. Cypress CYP 252 pts
11. Guatemala GUA 253 pts
12. Thailand THA 257 pts
13. Spain ESP 264 pts
14. Saint Lucia LCA 279 pts
Men:
1. Simon de Gendt BEL 20 (76) pts…total (without two discards)
2. Zac West AUS 26 (66) pts
3. Guilherme Perez BRA 49 (81) pts
4. Erwan Lamoureux SUI 51 (104) pts
5. Mark Louis AUS 58 (92) pts
