OLYMPICS WINDSURFING RS:X  The focus of Day 7 was on the Medal races and how the final stanzas of the qualifying phase of the Tokyo2020 would play out.

Start Womens RS:X Medal Race - Tokyo2020 - Day 7- July, 31, - Enoshima, Japan. - photo © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com / nz

However it went largely unnoticed in Kiran Badloe's (NED) Gold medal win in the RS:X - that it was a third Gold medal for his coach Aaron McIntosh (NZL), and sits well alongside his 2000 Olympic Bronze medal, in the Mens windsurfer.

Kiran Badloe and Aaron Mcintosh - RS;X Medal Race - Tokyo2020 - Day 7- July, 31, - - Enoshima, Japan. © Richard Gladwell - Sail-World.com / Photosport

McIntosh coached Dorian van Rijsselberghe (NED) to win a Gold medal in Weymouth at the London Olympics, and again in Rio.

Badloe and van Rijsselberghe, both coached by McIntosh fought out the selection for the Netherlands, with Badloe winning the nomination, and with the inside running for the Gold Medal - which played out on Sagami Bay this afternoon.

Few make the transition from being a top sailor to being a top coach, and McIntosh has certainly cemented his place in that elite group, having coached two competitors to Gold medal wins in the same event.

While the racing was dramatic, the result was never in doubt. Badloe had so dominated the event he only had to sail the course, and finish cleanly, to win the Gold medal.

Yunxiu Lu (CHN) gold, dives to join her fellow medalists after the Womens RS:X Medal race - Tokyo2020 - Day 7- July, 31, - Enoshima, Japan. - photo © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com / nz

The Mens and Womens Medals in the RS:X class were sailed on the stadium course off the sea wall at Enoshima - and drew but a handful of spectators, due to COVID restrictions.

by Richard Gladwell
Sail-World.com/nz
31 Jul 2021, 15:47 UTC