Races Postponed for Lack of Wind

Paul Foerster had been an underdog before, so he didn’t get worked up when the Flying Dutchman class was blown out of the Olympic sailing lineup after he won the silver medal in 1992.

“I got a job and got married. Got a cat and a dog,” Foerster said matter-of-factly.

It’s that low-key approach that had the sailor from Rockwall, Texas, in position to sail for another Olympic medal, this time in the 470 class.

But he and J.J. Isler, the U.S. women’s 470 skipper, had to wait at least another day to race for the medals.

The 11th and deciding 470 fleet races were scheduled for today, but thunderstorms messed up the schedule. Storms passing over Sydney Harbor in the morning created unstable winds and rough water at the harbor entrance, so officials kept the boats in for two hours.

Race officials finally sent out the 470 women, figuring there wasn’t time to squeeze in the men’s race as well. But while it was a gorgeous sunny day on the water, there was one problem--only four knots of wind, if that. So after bobbing around for a half hour or so, the women came back in and both fleets will try again on Thursday.

Races in the Star, Finn and Laser classes also were postponed.