Two Person Dinghy (470), Men

This class came down to a battle between the American crew of Paul Foerster and Kevin Burnham and the British pair of Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield. In the final race the Americans needed to keep Britain from placing four or more spots ahead of them to win the gold medal. They succeeded by placing their boat windward of the Brits before the start, and blocking their wind throughout the race. Burnham and Foerster finished only 22nd, but it was one place ahead of Rogers and Glanfield and it secured them the gold medal. Both Foerster and Burnham had previously won Olympic silver medals in the 470 with different partners, Foerster in 2000, and Burnham in 1992. Rogers and Glanfield would repeat as the silver medalists at Qingdao in 2008.