Windsurfer Tzuberi keeps Israel's gold medal hopes afloat

Aug 13, 2008 0:22 | Updated Aug 13, 2008 1:04
By ALLON SINAI, BEIJING
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Shahar Tzuberi is quickly becoming Israel's best hope of a second historic gold medal, after putting on yet another masterful performance on Tuesday.

Tzuberi continues to lead the windsurfing competition in Qingdao, finishing the third and fourth races of the event in first and third, respectively.

Thanks to his excellent and consistent performances, the 21-year-old's not only at the top of the standings, but has already opened up a small margin over his rivals.

His first and third place finishes in the two races of both day 1 and day 2 mean he has amassed a total of eight negative points, eight less than his closest rival King Yin Chan of Hong Kong.

On Wednesday, Tzuberi has a day off, but there are still six more races to be contested until August 20's medal race and the youngster has still got plenty of work to do before he replicates Gal Fridman's achievement from the Athens Games.

Tuesday was also a superb day for 470 Class sailors Nike Kornecki and Vered Buskila, who finished the day's races in first and second and moved all the way up to fourth overall.

In the men's 470, however, Udi Gal and Gidi Kliger continued to disappoint and a medal is looking less likely with every day that passes.

The duo is placed 14th overall after ending Tuesday's races in 13th and 14th and if they don't get their act together immediately, starting from Wednesday's two contests, they will have to add another disappointing Olympics to their resume after only managing a 13th place finish in Athens four years ago.

In the women's Neil Pryde windsurfing competition, Ma'ayan Davidovich is in 13th place after finishing in 20th and ninth on Tuesday.

Nofar Edelman began the women's Laser Radial competition on Tuesday and is 22nd overall, finishing in 25th and 12th in the first day of racing.