OLYMPICS: Dempsey vows to get gold charge back on track

Dempsey, who resumed racing after a rest day yesterday with a one-point advantage in first place, looked in the mood to further tighten his grip on top spot as he sailed to second place in the day’s opening race to extend his overall lead to three points.

But with Van Rijsselberge firing in two bullets in the next two races and Dempsey’s speed not being reflected in his race results, the Dutchman edged ahead of the Brit.

The RS:X Men are scheduled to contest their final three races of their 12-race series tomorrow before Sunday’s final double points Medal Race showdown. And Peterborough-raised Dempsey, knows what he has to do before that.

He said: “I was winning every race today and I didn’t win every race. I made mistakes, which is annoying because I was sailing brilliantly. I sailed really, really well and had opportunities to close it out but I didn’t. I made a couple of mistakes.

“They were only small mistakes, but on a day like today you get punished hard.

“Tomorrow I think I need much the same but to attack Dorian a bit more. It’s just frustrating when you’ve been in a good solid potion to go backwards. It’s hard, it’s a game of snakes and ladders and sometimes you get caught out.”

The RS:Xs were again inside Guanabara Bay, on the Escola Naval course, today and the winds were typically wacky, with unpredictable puffs of up to 15 knots injecting otherwise light airs.

Van Rijsselberge heads the pack with 16 points, to Dempsey’s 24 in second and 2016 World Champion, Piotr Myszka (POL), in third on 29 points.