Medal chance for British 49ers

The British 49ers have put in some fine performances

BBC sailing commentator Richard Simmonds reports as the British 49ers team lie in the bronze medal position after Friday's racing.

Britain's sailing athletes are still very much in the medal hunt everywhere outside the men's and women's sailboarding.

Hugh Styles and Adam May had what let's hope is a hiccup in the Tornado catamaran.

Starting the day lying fourth, they were over the line before the start gun, did not realise, so did not turn back to start again.

They paid the penalty and were disqualified.

In the second, they filed a disappointing 10th followed by an 11th.

The Austrian Tornado team have sailed out of their skin this week and secured gold.

The 49ers had four races, and there are only four more before the medals. Great Britain continue to perform extremely well here.

Accelerated

Friday's results mean that Barker and Hiscocks are lying third with four races to go. USA lead, with Finland second.

After their race three victory, Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield started well in race four of the 470s - second at the first mark.

But their race was spoiled while they were en route to the third of seven marks.

Great Britain chose to go down the inshore side of the race track while the better wind and the leading pack accelerated away on the other side of the course.

That scenario dropped the British team to eighth. On Friday afternoon, they finished 19th. They are lying fourth after six races, with Australia leading.

On Saturday, the Star keelboat and Finn singlehander start racing for the first time.