Zubari heading for gold at Euros

Davidovich looking good in third at windsurfing championships.

By ALLON SINAI
shahar zubari 248.88 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger )
shahar zubari 248.88
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger )
Shahar Zubari admitted on Thursday that only a gold medal will satisfy him at the European windsurfing Championships after opening a nine-point lead at the top of the standings ahead of the final weekend of the event in Tel Aviv. The 22-year-old experienced his most frustrating day of racing so far in the championships on Thursday, finishing the day's contests in seventh and eighth respectively. "I will be disappointed if I fail to win the gold," Zubari said. "I'm closing in on the gold medal and I'm happy I managed to extend my lead." Ivan Pastor trails Zubari by nine points, moving up to second position on Thursday after winning the first race of the day and finishing third in the second World number 1, Julien Bontemps, is third overall, a further two points back, with defending champion, Joao Rodrigues, in fourth position. Israel's Nimrod Mashiah is still in the medal hunt, moving up to fifth position on Thursday after finishing the first race of the day in sixth place before winning the second race. The entire field of surfers will race two more times on Friday, with only the top 10 to compete in the medal race in the final day of the competition on Saturday. Ma'ayan Davidovich climbed to third position overall in the women's competition on Thursday, ending the day's races in sixth and 10th respectively. The championships are led by Spaniard Blanca Manchon, with countrywoman Marina Alabau in second position five points back. Davidovich is some 13 points behind Alabau and will need to fend off the challenge of Bryony Shaw, Flavia Tartaglini, Laura Linares and Agata Brygola, who are all within nine points of the 21-year-old Israeli, if she's to claim a medal. "I'm happy I climbed up to third position overall, but I feel I could have done better in today's races," Davidovich said. "I expected the championships to be a very tight affair and I'm optimistic of my chances."