ESPN

QINGDAO, China -- New Zealand windsurfer Tom Ashley won the gold medal in the men's RS:X class, while France's Julien Bontemps took the silver and Israel's Shahar Zubari the bronze.

Bontemps was just one point ahead of Ashley and Britain's Nick Dempsey after 10 races leading into Wednesday's final, which counts double. Zubari was nine points behind the lead, but came back strong to take second in the medal race behind Hong Kong's Chan King Yin and clinch the bronze medal.

Ashley was third in Wednesday's final, followed by Bontemps, with Dempsey trailing in seventh place to take fourth overall after the entire 11-race series.

Zubari has been under intense scrutiny in Israel because during his national trials he defeated windsurfer Gal Fridman, who won Israel's first gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press