She sailed consistently as she has done all week to overtake Olga Maslivets, on the last downwind. "I've lived this moment many times in my head. I am very proud to feel it, in real life. It's wonderful. It was the race of my life!", said Alabau.

Olga had the best start at the pin end hitting the line at full speed and leaving the rest of the medal race fleet literally standing. She was in bronze medal position right up to the last minute or two but when Marina shot through to take the line, her medal hopes were dashed, beaten in to 4th place by one point by Zofia Klepacka.

It would have been a major upset of the form books if she and Tuuli Petaja had both been on the podium but it was not to be. Tuuli won the silver medal. A first windsurfing Olympic medal for Finland and, if I am completely honest, a result that must be beyond her wildest dreams.

She came into the Olympics having only stood on the podium at a major RS:X Championship once in the last 4 years. All the smart money was on either Marina Alabau, Zofia Klepacka and Lee Korsitz. These three had pased the medals between themselves at Worlds and Europeans for 4 years.

It just seemed a formality that they would each win a medal. The only question seemed to be which colour would go to who? But the Olympic regatta is like no other.

Tuuli Petaja, Olga Maslivets and Moan Delle mixed it with the so called dominant troika right from the start. Going into the medal race any two of them could have won a medal.

RS:X Women Olympic Sailing Regatta

1. Marina Alabau (ESP) - 26pts
2. Tuuli Petaja (FIN) - 46pts
3. Zofia Noceti-Klepacka [POL] - 47pts
4. Olga Maslivets [POL] - 48pts
5. Moana Delle [GER] - 51pts

RS:X Men Olympic Sailing Regatta

1. Dorian Van Rijsselberge (NED) - 15pts
2. Nick Dempsey (GBR) - 41pts
3. Przemyslaw Miarczynski [POL] - 60pts
4. Toni Wilhelm (GER) - 64pts
5. Julien Bontemps [FRA] - 70pts