Double delight for Borg brothers

Optimist and Laser sailors provided a timely boost for the Maltese Olympic Committee on the penultimate day of the 2007 GSSE with two gold medals and a silver after sailing competitions came to a premature close due to a lack of winds in the Monaco Harbour yesterday.

The calm weather that prevailed for most of the week hampered the progress of regattas, forcing organisers to postpone or abandon some of the races in programme. Yesterday, no wind was blowing a few kilometres away from the shoreline, leaving the judging committee with no option but to call off all races. As a result, the provisional standings after six races at the start of the day were declared final.

This meant that brothers Benji and Sean Borg were confirmed as winners of the Laser and Optimist classes respectively. Their remarkable feat took Team Malta's tally of gold medals to four with only one day to go before this evening's closing ceremony.

For Benji Borg, this was his second gold medal in GSSE competition after his success in the Optimists four years ago in Malta. He finished ahead of two 'home' sailors, Emmanuel Sanchez and Baptiste Chailan.

"This is unbelievable," Benji Borg told The Times. "Beating the Monaco sailors on their own waters increases the significance of our achievements here.

"I switched to Laser Radial only 18 months ago. The start was difficult but lots of practising made me feel more comfortable in my new boat. The conditions this week favoured my two closest rivals most but you never give up hope.

"I have been sailing since I was six and intend to carry on for many more years. This gold medal intensifies my determination to achieve a similar result but in bigger events."

Simon Aquilina was fifth overall in Laser, on 27 points, while Christophe Podesta finished 14th on 48.

In the women's Laser category, the decision to hold no races was detrimental to Maya Podesta's prospects of winning a medal as she had to settle for fifth place on 22 points. Audrey Peraldi, of Monaco, took gold on nine points.

Meanwhile, Benji Borg's 2003 GSSE Optimist title will stay in the family after his brother Sean topped the category with 10 penalty points. Monaco sailors Edouard Franconeri and Massimo Mazzolini were second and third respectively.

"This is my second GSSE participation after the one of 2003. It has always been my ambition to win gold in this event like my brother did in 2003," Sean Borg said.

"Now, in two years' time, I will be competing in Laser like him and my next goal is to snatch the gold from his grasp.... it would be a great brotherly contest between us."

With no races held yesterday, Thomas Zammit Tabona and Gabriel Pace had no chance to try and improve their position as joint-fourth from the day before. They had 23 points, just two behind bronze medallist Mazzolini.

Ella Fleri Soler landed a silver medal after finishing second in the girls' Optimists, behind gold medal winner Maylis Darcet, of Monaco. Marine Prat, also of Monaco, placed third.

"This was a hectic week after months of preparation," Fleri Soler said, "but now I feel satisfied to have done so well for my country.

"The conditions were difficult for us as the light winds do not suit our style. However, the coaches did well to keep us focused all the time and now I'm just delighted that I'm going back and show this silver medal to my relatives and friends at home."

The other Maltese sailor in Optimists was Abigail Fenech. She finished sixth with 17 points.

Targets will be met - Farrugia Sacco

MOC president Lino Farrugia Sacco said the three medals won in sailing yesterday were instrumental for Team Malta to stay on course to reach the objectives set prior to the Games.

"This was another outstanding result from our sailors," he said.

"These medals were deserved and thanks to them, we're still en route to attain our projections. With one day of competition to go, we have amassed 25 medals.

"We believe that more encouraging results will come tomorrow (today)... there's a good possibility of finishing with 35 medals overall.

"After Malta 2003, doubts were raised as to whether we could maintain the same levels of success. But, in Andorra and now in Monaco, we have shown that Maltese athletes can deliver. Perhaps, it's time for us to establish higher targets.

"Matching the results of the top three, Cyprus, Luxembourg and Iceland, is difficult but with the right investment and more careful planning we can aspire to establish ourselves as the fourth strongest country in these Games."