Nick Dempsey believes he has grasped what it will take to remain the man to beat in the Olympic windsurfing regatta in Marina da Gloria after an overall positive second day of racing.
The 35-year-old headed into races four, five and six seven having claimed two wins and a second on the opening day and was on form in his first two outings to finish first again followed by fourth.
His third race of the day was one to forget though – literally as it occupies Dempsey’s current discard – with the double Olympic medallist placing 14th after wind conditions fell on the Escola Naval course.
Dempsey would have rather not have had such a high finish at the halfway stage but is adamant he knows exactly what he needs to do to ensure he is still in first place come Sunday’s medal race.
“It is as it looks really, it started well and ended badly. The first and fourth [place finishes] were good, you just don’t want to lose your discard too early,” he said.
“It is slightly too early but it is alright and still a good day. I feel brilliant, I feel great, I feel the best I have ever felt on the board.
“I feel confident and that I’d be good in any conditions. I feel I have got a good handle of what it is going to take to win here and I am feeling comfortable and confident.
“The third was the third race. The wind had got really unstable and it was fine when we started but it was pretty apparent half way up the first beat that it was not raceable.”
Bryony Shaw was seventh, 14th and 12th in her three races in the women’s windsurfing regatta and is now tenth overall after six outings in total.
Nick Thompson was ninth and 15th for 12th overall after four races in the Laser and in the Laser Radial Alison Young was 13th and 26th to sit 18th at the same stage.
Giles Scott’s campaign in the Finn began with a 17th and third on the Pao de Acucar course and he is telling himself that there is still a lot of racing to go before the medals are decided.
“It was tricky. The Sugarloaf course we were on is notoriously difficult. I am not massively happy with the way how it has gone, but there's still a long way to go and plenty to play for,” he said.
“It is certainly not how you want to start an Olympic Games with a 17th. Let’s just say I wasn’t particularly happy. It certainly doesn’t make things easy but there is still a lot to play for.”