Xu sails back into contention

Defending champion Xu Lijia did not let losing top spot in the standings for sailing's laser radial class faze her on Monday, as she bounced back to on Tuesday.

Xu ranked third and fourth in the first two races, but was later disqualified from race two after a right of way protest by US sailor Paige Railey.

On Tuesday, Xu finished in third and first place, which was enough to send her back to the top of the rankings with seven points as each sailor's worst score is discarded from their final series results.

Sailors receive the same number of points as their finishing position except in the medal race, where finish positions are doubled.

The sailor or boat with the lowest number of total points after multiple races wins the regatta.

"Yesterday's disqualification after the protest hearing was a pity, but I had to let it go and carry on with the rest of the racing because that's something I have no control over," Xu said after Tuesday's races.

"I just sailed normally and pushed myself and gave everything I had, not to leave anything onshore."

After completing four races, all competitors drop their worst result, so Xu's 38-point disqualification was removed.

Having finished third in Monday's first race, she leads with seven points, four fewer than Ireland's Annalise Murphy.

In the men's laser radial, Argentina's Julio Alsogaray led the standings, with Cro-atia's Tonci Stipanovic in second place.

In the men's and women's RS: X windsurfing, Britain's Nick Dempsey and Italy's Flavia Tartaglini shared the lead after six rounds.

Tuesday's action also featured the opening two races of men's Finn class.

Slovenia's Vasilij Zbogar maintained his lead in the overall ranking.

(China Daily 08/11/2016 page4)