QINGDAO, China (AP) -The start of the first medal race in Olympic sailing, for the Finn class, started nearly 90 minutes behind schedule Saturday because organizers waited for winds to pick up and stabilize at the Qingdao venue southeast of Beijing.

After a preliminary series of eight races, British star Ben Ainslie was assured at least a silver medal on total points, regardless of the result in the Olympic medal race, which was introduced for the Beijing Games and gives double points. Ainslie has an 12-point lead on American Zach Railey, and is 23 points ahead of Sweden's Daniel Birgmark in overall standings ahead of the medal race.

Just one point separates the first and second place teams in the three-crew Yngling class for women ahead of a second medal race on the program for Saturday. That race will pit leaders Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson of Britain against the Dutch team of Mandy Mulder, Annemieke Bes and Merel Witteveen in a race for gold. The remaining boats will engage in a sea battle over bronze.

In most previous games, winners of the sailing events were decided on total points from a series of races. In Qingdao's new medal races, the top 10 finishers are allowed into a final that counts double in their overall score.

Qingdao, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) southeast of Beijing, is notorious among sailors for its light and shifting summer winds, as well as strong currents.