Spanish pair Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz claimed the tornado gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Sailing Regatta on Thursday.

With three points leading into the double-point medal race, the Spanish duo enjoyed a flying start, finishing first by the first mark. They dropped to the third and fourth by the second and third marks, but managed to keep the fourth position till the finishing line, totalling 44 points overall to seal up the crown.

Australian crew Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby took the silver medal with 49 points. Despite their last finish by the first race, the Australian pair moved to fifth by the second mark and maintained the position till the end to secure their second position overall.

The bronze medal went to Santiago Lange and Carlos Espinola from Argentina with 56 points. They won four of the 10 opening series races. In the medal race, they rebounded from the eighth finish by the first mark to sixth at the finishing line to ensure the position on the podium.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2008)