Sailor Ashley Stoddart to sail for a medal at Rio Games

IT is the race of her young life but Murrumba Downs sailor Ashley Stoddart is adamant tomorrow morning’s laser radial sailing medal race in Rio is “just another race”.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL — AUGUST 08: Ashley Stoddart of Australia competes during the Women's Laser Radial races on Day 3 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Marina da Gloria on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Ashley Stoddart will approach tomorrow morning’s (2am) laser radial medal race at the Rio Olympics “just like any race”.

Stoddart, from Murrumba Downs, finished ninth overall after the preliminary rounds where only the top 10 qualify for the medal race.

“I think the medal race is a completely different ball game to fleet racing, double points,” said Stoddart on the Australian Olympic website.

“I will just approach it like any race, try and get around the course as quickly as possible, so that’s what I’m going to try to do.”

Australia's Ashley Stoddart sailing in Race 1 of the Women's laser radial at Marina da Gloria during day 3 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Picture. Brett Costello

Points from the 10 preliminary races are carried forward to the medal race, where double points are awarded.

Stoddart, a member of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly, finished seventh and eighth in her last two races to qualify, leaping from 13th to ninth.

“I didn’t really know the points going into today (Saturday), I just knew that if I had a good day, it was possible,” she said.