Gal-Kliger finish 4th in Europeans, qualify for Olympics

Finish the 470 Class Sailing European Championships in Thessaloniki, Greece in fourth position.

By ALLON SINAI
sailing 88 (photo credit: )
sailing 88
(photo credit: )
Udi Gal and Gidi Kliger booked their place in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday afternoon, finishing the 470 Class Sailing European Championships in Thessaloniki, Greece in fourth position. Gal and Kliger finished well short of the bronze medal winners Gabrio Zandona and Andrea Trani of Italy, but will nevertheless be pleased by securing an Olympic berth more than a year before the games are scheduled to begin. Eyal Levin and Yam Amir finished the competition in 23rd position, with Aviv Ben Horin and Eran Sela coming in three places below their countrymen. In the women's competition, Nike Kornecki and Vered Buskila finished in 16th position, falling just short of the Olympic Committee of Israel criteria for the 2008 games, which demands a top 10 finish. Noa Botzer and Laia Trajtenberg ended the event in 25th place. Also on Sunday, Lee Korzits climbed to eighth position in the Neil Pryde European Championships and is well placed to join Gal and Kliger at the Olympics. Maayan Davidovich is in 20th position after day three of the event which is currently taking place in Limassol, Cyprus, with Shir Avni in 42nd place. Olympic gold medalist Gal Fridman is placed in 12th position in the men's competition, with Shahar Tzubari ending the day in 17th. Nimrod Mashiah is positioned five places below Tzubari, with Ron Asulin and Omri Hazor finishing in 41st and 54th respectively. The championships will continue until Friday, June 15.