(QINGDAO, August 20) -- 2008 world champion Tom Ashley of New Zealand won gold in the Men's RS:X (Windsurfer) with 52 overall points, just one point better than second-place finisher Julien Bontemps of France. Shahar Zubari of Israel finished second in the medal race to grab bronze with 58 points overall and give Israel's its first medal of the Beijing Olympic Games. Ashley experienced his worst day of sailing on Tuesday, August 19, positioned 32nd in the final race of the opening series, and many wondered if he could climb back to win on Wednesday in the light shifty airs. He finished the medal race third behind Chan King-yin of Hong Kong and Zubari. "I've done it. It's the most incredible feeling and I can't begin to tell you how I feel right now," Ashley said. "It was an insanely tough medal race -- the weather gave us a little bit of everything, but I tried to sail as consistently as I could." Ashley was coached by Grant Beck of New Zealand, who was also instrumental in the three previous medal wins of Barbara Kendall who finished sixth earlier on Wednesday in the Women's RS:X medal race. Julien Bontemps of France, who took the series lead on Tuesday, failed to medal at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, finishing ninth. Shahar Zubari also created a Wednesday comeback to claim his bronze medal, reveling in the lighter shifty airs and flat seas -- sailing conditions he loves. "I feel so happy. I'm only 20 and I feel like a superstar. I was lucky to have the wind on my side today," Zubari said. "When I finished, I counted back and realized I had won bronze. I was crazy with joy."