August 23, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 20, 1429

QINGDAO (China), Aug 22: Britain’s ability to produce sailors who leave no stone unturned to win Olympic gold is shown by their domination of Games regattas, the team chief said.

Britain, hosts of the 2012 Games, won four golds, a silver and bronze in the 11 events sailed in Qingdao, finishing as the leading sailing nation for the third successive Games.

“The secret of our success is people, first and foremost,” Royal Yachting Association Olympic manager Stephen Park told a news conference on Friday.

“We have a group of very talented sailors who are driven to ensure they leave no stone unturned in the quest for Olympic gold medals.

“Those sailors are supported by a great group of coaches and support staff to help them fulfil their potential.”

Britain’s sailing team return home with their best Olympic medal haul for 100 years, surpassing the five medals won at both Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and matching the achievements of the British sailing team at the 1908 London Games.

The six medals easily surpassed Park’s target of four from the Qingdao regatta, deliberately set low because of the unpredictable wind conditions in Fushan Bay.

Star sailors Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson became Britain’s fourth gold medallists on Thursday, the final day of the regatta, adding to the titles won by Ben Ainslie (Finn), Yngling trio Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson and Laser sailor Paul Goodison.

In addition, Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield clinched silver in the men’s 470 and windsurfer Bryony Shaw won bronze.

Yngling skipper Ayton, who now has two Olympic golds in her collection after triumphing in Athens with Webb and Shirley Robertson, said the foundations put in place had created a production line of talented British sailors.

“It stems from sailing from a young age in Britain, our federation does a fantastic job all the way from grassroots level all the way up to Olympics ... you are backed the whole way,” she said.

“Sailing is not just about the helm and the crew, to win you have to be a team.”

Surpassing the six-medal haul in 2012 will be a tough task, Percy predicted, despite the regatta being sailed in the home waters of Weymouth on the south coast of England.

“Other countries are hot on our heels. It’s getting tougher and tougher every year,” he said.—Reuters