Iain Percy/Andrew Simpson of the Great Britain compete during Star Medal Race of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Sailing event in Qingdao, Olympic co-host city in east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 21, 2008. Iain Percy/Andrew Simpson of the Great Britain won the gold medal in the event. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Sailors compete during Star Medal Race of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Sailing event in Qingdao, Olympic co-host city in east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 21, 2008. Iain Percy/Andrew Simpson of Great Britain (1st L) won the gold medal in the event. Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prada of Brazil (2nd L) won the silver. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    by sportswriter Rong Jiajia

    QINGDAO, China, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson won the Star gold medal at the Olympic Sailing Regatta here on Thursday, bagging the country's fourth gold at Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center.

    Amid the pouring rain and 12-15 knots of wind, the medal race was surely nail-biting, as eight teams had a chance of taking medals because only 18 points separated those between third and eighth places in the preliminaries.

    The leading Sweden pair started the double-point medal race with a fifth finish by the first mark, leaving his nearest rival Britain in the sixth. The second mark saw Britain battle back to the second and Sweden lie in the third.

    Britain maintained its advantage over Sweden till the finishing line, placing fifth in the medal race and clinching the win with 45 points overall.

    "It's been a very special experience for us. Andrew and I have been friends for 25 years since we were seven sailing the Optimist class in national championship. When you were out there on the water, I felt a special responsibility not to let my friend down," said Percy, Finn gold medalist in Sydney 2000.

    "This win is far more sweet than the gold in the Finn. Six months ago, we knew we can do it. It's just that there was so much work involved and there are so many talents in the class. We always knew we were contenders, but only contenders. Every morning we wake up thinking about sailing and nothing else," he said.

    Their gold medal also tied Britain's record set at the London 1908 Olympic Games, when they also recorded four golds, one silver and one bronze.

    Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada from Brazil took the silver medal with 53 points. They led the first two marks and finished third in the medal race.

    "This regatta started out very bad for us because we made a lot of mistakes. Yesterday, we had three very good and consistent races. We woke up this morning and knew we could get a medal," said three-time Olympic medalist Scheidt with two Laser golds in Atlanta and Athens and one Laser silver in Sydney.

    "Not just us, but all the sailors have a motto to never give up, never surrender and fight till the end. We always believe that we can make it," said Prada.

    The bronze medal went to Fredrik Loof and Anders Ekstrom from Sweden. They shared the same 53 points with Brazil. The tie-breaker was the order of finish in the medal race with Brazil the third and Sweden the tenth.

    "It's special. The Star class bring the best sailors together. There are a lot of good sailors in the Star class right now. It's something special. That's for sure," said Loof, who won a Finn bronze in Sydney 2000.

    That completed the schedule of Beijing Olympic Sailing Regatta on time with Britain as the top medal-scoring nation with four golds, one silver and one bronze. Australia followed with two golds and one silver. Spain took the third of the medal table with one gold and one silver.

Sailors compete during Star Medal Race of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Sailing event in Qingdao, Olympic co-host city in east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 21, 2008. Iain Percy/Andrew Simpson of the Great Britain (2nd L) won the gold medal in the event. (Xinhua/Song Zhenping) Photo Gallery>>>