The New Zealand 470 sailors Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have won bronze in the Rio Olympics test event after placing second in the medal race.
Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie in the medal race, Rio, 2015. Photo: Yachting NZ
Their compatriots Peter Burling and Blair Tuke were the only other New Zealanders to stand on the podium in Rio after they won gold in the 49er.
Josh Junior in the Finn class, and Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders in the mixed Nacra 17 all finished fifth overall.
Aleh and Powrie conceded that an average first half to the regatta put them in catch-up mode and they were pleased to turn things around at the mid-way mark and secure a podium finish.
"I think we sailed well for the last half of the event but we had such a shocker in the first half that I think this was about as good as we could come back with so we're happy to pull it together at the end," said Aleh.
Lying third going into the medal race, the pair had to battle to finish on the podium.
Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie on the podium, Rio, 2015. Photo: Yachting NZ
"We were in and out of the bronze medal on the first upwind beat and the first downwind, and then we managed to solidify second place in the race which gave us the bronze medal," said Powrie.
The USA's Anne Haeger and Briana Provancha won gold.
