Aussies claim five medals at sail meet

Australia have completed a one-two in the Finn class at the Sailing World Cup event in France.

Finn sailors Jake Lilley and Oliver Tweddell have ensured Australia finished first and second at the World Cup event in France.

Battling to claim Australia's single spot for the event at the Rio Olympics, Lilley finished seventh in the final race to claim the gold medal for the event.

Meanwhile Tweddell, who trailed Lilley going into the final race, finished third to win a silver medal.

"This was really important in terms of our selection for the Games," Lilley said.

"I had an OK start and got onto the wrong side of the shift and it was looking really bad, but I just kept chipping away.

"The last downwind got really light and I just kept fighting. I had penalty turns on the last work to the finish, but still managed to hang on ... just."

Meanwhile Australia also claimed silver in the 470 Men, courtesy of Matt Belcher and Will Ryan finished third in the last race of the event.

The pair had led the event heading into the penultimate day, however a difficult race on Saturday meant second was their best possible result heading into the finale.

"We had third and fourth quite close to us," Belcher said.

"We had everything to lose and not much to gain.

"It was a great, pressured situation for us and we came away with a third and being able to hold onto the silver medal, so it was a good day for us."

Australia picked up two other medals, with Tom Burton finishing third in the laser men, while Will and Sam Phillips also finished two spots from the top in the 49er class.


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Source: AAP



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