Britain's Yngling girls won the first gold medals of the Olympic Sailing Regatta with a spectacular and thrilling victory in their final race. For the two Sarahs - Ayton and Webb - it was a second gold to go with their medals from the Athens games of four years ago but a first for Pippa Wilson, their new crewmate.

Their race was a straight duel with the crew from the Netherlands, with a single point separating them going into the medals race decider, in which points count double. They got off to a shaky start but some smart tactical thinking helped the Britain crew pull alongside the Dutch and then take a lead that would become unassailable. The Dutch fell back to fifth place, leaving the overjoyed British trio to sail into their gold medal celebrations.

It had been a nervous and testing 24 hours after sailing was abandoned on Saturday, when the Yngling race was originally scheduled. The girls woke up on Sunday morning to a complete contrast from Saturday's sunshine and weak breeze with torrential rain and flags along the breakwater that looks out to Fushan bay stretched by strong winds.

They knew this was a one-off match race that demanded total concentration and they were up to the task to register what could be the first of six medals for TeamGB at the sailing regatta.

Back to reality for golden generation

Olympic heroes will discover if the last 17 days has been a life-changing experience or a glorious but brief interlude

• Team GB to be rewarded with gold for gold

• Hard work starts now as British sailors look towards London 2012

• Public support gained from success in Beijing needs to last four years

BACKGROUND

• How the Brits became world beaters

• London double-decker arrives in Beijing

• Olympics proves capacity for greatness

• New dawn for British sport as Olympic sun sets

Multimedia

• Simon Barnes in Beijing

• Bring back the tug-of-war

• Top 100 Olympic athletes of all time

Related Links

• Hunter and Purchase continue gold rush

• Eason at Large: sailing venue leaves much to be desired

• GB up to 3rd in medal table