ISAF World Sailing rankings released

(BEIJING, July 3) -- Australia continues to defend its lead in the world sailing rankings, taking three No. 1 spots and one No. 3 spot in 11 events that will be contested in the Beijing Olympics. Japan was ranked No. 1 in the final release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings for the Women's 470. Spain, Poland and Great Britain have four crews in top-three positions as well.

In the Women's 470 rankings, there are two new leaders, Japan's Ai Kondo and Naoko Kamata, after their win at Kiel Week. They failed to qualify in the Athens Olympics but have improved dramatically since returning to the 470 in 2006. Both of them will make their first Olympic appearance in Qingdao.

Xu Lijia of China jumped from No. 5 to No. 2 in the Laser Radial rankings. She won China's first medal at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in 2005 and one year later became the first Chinese sailor to win a World Championship in an Olympic Sailing event. Her compatriots have placed high hopes on her medaling at home this August.

Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez of Spain will also be heading to Qingdao following their solid victory at Kiel.

Top-ranked sailors, released on July 2, 2008

Heavyweight Dinghy - Finn

Jonas HOEGH-CHRISTENSEN (DEN)

Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial

Anna TUNNICLIFFE (USA)

Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser

Tom SLINGSBY (AUS)

Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470

Nathan WILMOT and Malcolm PAGE (AUS)

Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470

Ai KONDO and Naoko KAMATA (JPN)

Skiff - 49er

Iker MARTINEZ and Xabier FERNANDEZ (ESP)

Men's Keelboat - Star

Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ and Dominik ZYCKI (POL)

Women's Keelboat - Yngling

Sarah AYTON, Sarah WEBB and Pippa WILSON (GBR)

Multihull - Tornado

Darren BUNDOCK and Glenn ASHBY (AUS)

Men's Windsurfer - RS:X

Przemyslaw MIARCZYNSKI (POL)

Women's Windsurfer - RS:X

Marina ALABAU (ESP)