Rio 2016 sailing venue praised in test event

Competitors praised the condition of Guanabara Bay in the final Rio 2016 sailing test event ahead of next year's Olympics on Saturday.

More than 300 sailors from 52 countries and regions are taking part in the regatta which will run until next Saturday.

The iconic venue resembled a postcard image as competition began under a cloudless sky against a backdrop of Sugarloaf mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue.

The event comes amid media reports that untreated sewage and rubbish in the bay could pose a health risk to athletes.

"The water is excellent, there is no reason to complain about anything, and that's coming from somebody who usually complains a lot," said Brazilian sailor Ricardo Winicki.

"I think the weather helped too. It's been a while since it rained."

Rio's city government has deployed 10 eco-boats to scoop garbage from the water's surface before and during the event. Large nets have also been placed in strategic parts of the bay to prevent the flow of rubbish from connecting rivers.

US coach Jay Glaser said the conditions were no more difficult than those encountered in other parts of the world.

"In San Diego, when you sail, you get seaweed. In Newport, Rhode Island, it's grass, in Queensland, Australia, you're worried about box jelly fish," Glaser said.

"This is a great place to sail, super-scenic, really challenging."

France's Jonathan Lobert, winner of the Finn class bronze medal at the London 2012 Games, also lavished praise on the bay.

"It's very nice for the sport to be in the heart of the Olympic city, because sailing is usually a little bit away," he said.

Organizers say the sailing courses used for the Olympics will be in deep water, where open sea currents ensure constantly high water quality. Endi