British Yngling trio call time after 2012 blow

Britain's Olympic Yngling gold medallists Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson said yesterday they had raced for the last time as a trio following the removal of the class from the 2012 Games regatta.

The Elliot six-metre boat will replace the Yngling for the London Games after the International Sailing Federation last month voted to include a woman's match racing event for 2012.

"Our strengths are definitely in fleet racing," Ayton said in a statement.

"There's no fleet racing option for three women any longer, that effectively means the end of the line for us as a team.

"But it's been an incredible journey for the Yngling girls - and for everyone who has helped and supported us in our mission to dominate the fleet and be the best in the world."

The trio plan to announce their future plans next year but have ruled out competing in the Elliot boat in Weymouth and Portland in 2012.

Ayton and Webb also won Olympic Yngling gold in 2004 along with Shirley Robertson, but then split with their former skipper and pipped Robertson's new team to win selection for the Beijing Games.

With the addition of Wilson, the British team - dubbed 'three blondes in a boat' - won gold in Qingdao in August after producing a composed performance to win a medal race showdown for gold with Mandy Mulder, Annemieke Bes and Merrel Witteveen of the Netherlands.