"Monaco’s Maxime Nocher had been virtually unbeatable”
overall after three days. But an appeal saw him reinstated in the light of fresh photographic evidence and secured him pole position for the medal races of the final day five. Bridge trailed Nocher in second by just a few points. But his challenge was a fraught one of highs and lows that characterised his whole campaign. On the penultimate day four he scored three bullets from four that marked him out as the fastest rider in the pack. But on other occasions tiny errors on the track were costing him valuable points and he was unable to contain his frustration, at one point remarkably jettisoning his bar and safety as he hit the beach, allowing his 18m foil kite to fly off in the breeze. The medal races of the final day, for the men’s “platinum” fleet would prove no different. Bridge was again sizzlingly quick around the shortened track, with races lasting barely eight minutes, and allowing him to score three bullets. But a disastrous third race of four in which Bridge tacked while leading and tangled with Ozog, earning the British teenager a costly disqualification. With no discards available on the final day he vainly protested Ozog. Leaving the jury platform when the decision went against him Bridge screamed at his mother, “Every year!” He was abject and inconsolable