Sailing - Denmark take bronze in 49er after Aussie gold

Photo

Reuters

Denmark's Allan Norregaard and Peter Lang (R) celebrate as they cross the finish line to win bronze in the 49er sailing class at the London 2012 Olympic Games in Weymouth and Portland, southern England, August 8, 2012. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Aug. 9

By Peter Smith

WEYMOUTH, England (Reuters)- Denmark grabbed the bronze in the Olympic men's skiff 49er medal race on Wednesday as Australia completed their laps of honour with gold already secured in qualifying.

Rivals New Zealand had also bagged silver in earlier racing.

Only eight points separated third-placed Denmark from Austria in seventh with Finland, Britain and France sandwiched in between on the spectator-friendly shoreline Nothe course.

However, Denmark's Allan Norregaard and Peter Lang prevailed in the medal race with points counting double as the Nothe route continued to provide tricky challenges to the pack.

Four-times world champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen of Australia took gold by winning five of the 15 rounds.

The New Zealand duo of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, who chased the Australians to win silver at the 2011 and 2012 world championships, secured their first sailing medal of the Games.

(Editing by Mark Meadows)

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