Two's company for champion Scheidt in Qingdao

LONDON (Reuters) - After two gold medals and a silver in the one-man Laser dinghy, Brazilian Robert Scheidt will have company when he bids for more Olympic success in Qingdao.

The 35-year-old has moved into the Star Class since the Athens Olympics and will take to the waters alongside Bruno Prada in their two-handed keelboat.

Scheidt won his first gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, fending off Briton Ben Ainslie in a dramatic finish in which both were disqualified in the final race after crossing the start line prematurely.

Ainslie took his revenge in Sydney, the rivalry flaring again when Scheidt, harassed by his rival, was disqualified in the final race and had to be content with silver.

With Ainslie moving into the heavier Finn boat, Scheidt regained his Laser title in Athens in 2004.

After winning his eighth world title in Brazil in 2005, Scheidt left the Laser class and paired up with Prada to compete in the Star, often said to require the best technical and racing skills of all the Olympic sailing classes.

"I still enjoy sailing and have the same motivation to compete. But after 18 years competing in the Laser class, the change to the Star class represented an activity enrichment," Scheidt told Reuters.

The Brazilians finished a creditable sixth in the 2005 world championships, took second a year later and then secured their first Star world title in 2007 in Portugal.

Scheidt and Prada had to be content with third place at the 2008 worlds in Miami but are fairly confident ahead of the Olympics after winning a test regatta in Qingdao last year.

"There are 10 possible medal contenders," predicted Scheidt.

(Editing by Robert Woodward)

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