‘Where are they going?’ gasp Olympics announcers as US and Netherlands sailing error results in ‘five minutes of agony’

THERE was a highly dramatic moment in the sailing at the Paris Olympics when the Dutch and American teams sailed off in the wrong direction.

Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz clinched victory in the Olympic women’s skiff medal race, but only after a crazy finish.

Rex

AP

The pair were just meters away from victory when events took an unlikely turn.

The duo seemed to miscalculate the finish line and began veering to the right and away from the checkered markers.

The problem for the American team of Stephanie Roble and Maggie Shea was that they followed the Dutch.

“And where are they going?” the commentator said.

“Because the finish line is marked on the left hand side! They’re not too sure. I think they think they’ve finished!

“There was some confusion on the course. We had it here and they’ve now had to come back up to the finish. America also making a mistake. And this is huge.”

The Swedish team got themselves over the line first.

But the aggregate scoring system meant the Dutch still took the gold.

The Swedes, Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler, claimed a notable silver however.

And the French pair of Charline Picon and Sarah Steyaert secured bronze.

The Americans unfortunately missed out on a medal, finishing down in tenth place.

“What unbelievable scenes on the water of Marseille,” the commentator said.

“This has been an Olympics to remember.

“We have had two medal races abandoned. We have had boats sailing what appears to have been the wrong course for getting where the finish line is.

“They’re thinking that they’ve blown the gold at the last minute, even though they put in a gold medal winning performance.

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“They have been there for five minutes in agony, waiting for somebody to tell them the results. And it seems as if it is now relief.”

The Paris Olympics continues to thrill audiences across the United States .

NBC have been reporting strong viewing figures, even for some of its early morning broadcasts.

And American viewers had plenty to celebrate on Saturday, including another swimming gold for the great Katie Ledecky .

The big events on Sunday expected to attract large audiences included the men’s 100m final at the Stade de France.