Kendall assured of gold

Press, 27 September 1988, Page 1

Kendall assured of gold

By

CHRIS MIRAMS

The New Zealand boardsailer, Bruce Kendall, appears to have won New Zealand’s second Olympic gold medal although the yachting team is still cautiously awaiting the official result. Down at Pusan the New Zealand chief coach, Harold Bennett, studied the effect potential protests could have and then last evening pronounced Kendall’s lead unbeatable. “But until we actually see the result on official paper, we’ve always got that doubt,” he said. Those final doubts may be lifted today but in the meantime the champagne is being cracked even though Kendall will race the seventh and final boardsailing race this morning.

With a six-race record of 3-3-1-5-8-1, Kendall, aged 24, has shown he has been the best man on the water Kendall, a Los Angeles bronze medallist said the results proved what he thought in 1984 — that he was good enough for gold.

Disaster struck four years ago when he was leading overall at Long Beach. He collided with a French rider and was disqualified, ending his hopes of gold and silver medals. Asked if yesterday’s result made up for that black moment, he said: “It makes it feel a whole lot better, that’s for sure.” In yesterday’s race, sailed over big seas in winds of 12 to 15 knots, Kendall got an excellent start, leaping out from the gun at the committee boat end. “Once I had a good start, I knew I could do it,” Kendall said. He was right behind the Australian, Chris Lawrence, and Wirz within a few minutes, and passed them when he picked a better line to the top mark.

Kendall had trouble staying ahead downwind as the breeze allowed the fleet to catch up. But he “did his work upwind” and got clear again. Only Wirz got in front of him once on a beat but Kendall soon pulled him back to finish comfortably in front. Kendall’s coach, Grant Beck, said some of his opponents had enjoyed good luck in earlier races while Kendall had been “incredibly consisted.” “Finally today Bruce got a little break and the other guys didn’t have the ‘tin’ they’ve had before,” Mr Beck said. “It was moderate wind and he loved it. He went well up wind and it was great to see.” Olympics, pages 23-27