Windsurfing: Mashiah looks good for a medal at worlds

21-year-old to enter medal race in second position, five points behind leader Nick Dempsey, well ahead of Dorian van Rijsselberge, Byron Kokalanis.

By ALLON SINAI
windsurfing 88 (photo credit: )
windsurfing 88
(photo credit: )
Nimrod Mashiah all but clinched a top-three finish at the windsurfing world championships at Weymouth, England, on Wednesday. The 21-year-old will enter Thursday's medal race in second position, five points behind leader Nick Dempsey, but well ahead of Dorian van Rijsselberge and Byron Kokalanis, who are in third and fourth place, respectively. Mashiah can become just the second Israeli man to be crowned world champion, joining his coach Gal Fridman, if he finishes three places in front of Dempsey in Thursday's race, which will only be contested by the top 10 surfers in the standings. The only way Mashiah can fail to claim a medal is if he finishes in the 10th and last place on Thursday and Kokalanis wins the race, with van Rijsselberge ending it in second position. Olympic bronze medalist and European champion Shahar Zubari won't even contest the medal race, sits in a disappointing 14th place for the competition after Wednesday, as he struggled with Weymouth's strong winds. The local battle between Mashiah and Zubari is set to continue over the next three years, as just one Israeli windsurfer will be able to take part in the next Olympics, which will be held at Weymouth as well. Ma'ayan Davidovich, who competed in the medal race at the Olympics and European championships, sits in 18th place at the worlds after Wednesday's action.