With officials wanting classes to experience the expected light airs of Beijing, all classes were sent out for 10.00am, 11.00am and 12.00pm starts and race drops came into play for all but the 2.4mR class today.

The 49er fleet looked slow in comparison to the speed machines they become in 10 knots or more of breeze. Sandringham Yacht Club Race Officer, Deborah Lloyd, sent the fleet off for three races on windward/leeward courses.

Specialists in the light air, the Japanese crew of Kenjiro Todoroki/Kenji Takahashi placed 1-2-1 to lead from the well-sailed Australian crew, William Phillips/Jon Newman who are four points behind following 2-1-5 scores. The light weight of the Victorian pair is perfectly suited to the light airs on their home waters.

Olympic potentials Nathan Outteridge/Ben Austin (AUS) filled out the top three, with 3-5-2 scores, a further four points in arrears, with their possible Olympic rivals and fellow Sydneysiders, Euan McNicol/Seve Jarvin, six points behind in fourth place.

Disaster struck on the Tornado course though. Darren Bundock/Glenn Ashby (AUS) won both their races, but on the way back to Sandringham Yacht Club, the newly engaged Ashby got his right foot caught in the foot strap and barely hobbled ashore. A short time later, an ambulance was called and the Victorian was whisked off to hospital where he was diagnosed with three broken toes and will be unable to sail the rest of the series. Bundock is now looking for a replacement.

Their rivals at this regatta, Leigh McMillan/Will Howden, finished both races in second place and New Zealanders, Aaron McIntosh/Bruce Kendall finished the day with two third places. Bundock/Ashby lead the Brits by two points with the Kiwis third, but the Aussies campaign here is in doubt after their unfortunate accident.

The Lasers also looked as if sailing in slow motion on the outer trapezoid course earlier in the day and it was Malo Leseigneur across first in their Race 2, in a close finish from Michael Leigh (CAN), Martin Trcka (CZE) and Hisaki Nagai (JPN) – the lighter sailors and light air specialists coming into their own. Tom Slingsby was the best Australian, down in eighth place.

However, Slingsby, from the Central Coast in NSW, fought back strong, finishing 2-1 in Races 3 and 4 and now has a slim one point lead of the series from Chilean Matias Del Solar. Del Solar also had his worst result in the earlier race – like Slingsby, he sails better in heavier conditions. He too, fought back with a win and a second. The two appear to be the outstanding ones in the fleet.

“I had a bad start (Race 2), then I went the wrong way – I couldn’t find the shifts, so I really struggled. It’s a lot harder to come back in the light stuff when everyone is pretty much doing the same speed,” Slingsby said.

Mark Howard (GBR) is third placed overall, but eight points behind the leader, following 9-3-3 results, with Michael Leigh (CAN) three points behind in fourth, the two yet to show their usual winning form.

Nicky Bethwaite’s Australian crew continues to lead the Yngling class from a new Aussie crew skippered by Nicky Souter, following two bullets in Races 3 and 4. Souter’s crew went 2-2 and are now only two points in arrears of Bethwaite. Hamish Jarrett’s crew from NSW continues to hold onto third place after finishing seventh and third today.

Japanese entries are featuring largely at the top end of a number of classes, including the 470. In the Women’s, Chizuko Ijima/Sayaka Kato (JPN) leads Australia’s top pairing of Elise Rechichi/Tessa Parkinson by three points following three races today. Race 2 was the Japanese girls worst, a sixth place, followed by a win and a third. Rechichi came up with 2-4-4 results to stay in touch.

“We haven’t had a very good regatta and it doesn’t take many mistakes to put you on the back foot,` said Rechichi. “We actually had a better day yesterday,” chipped in Parkinson. “It’s a much more competitive fleet this year and the standard is really high. The Japanese girls are really good.”

Asked who they thought would win the event overall, Parkinson replied, “Mat Belcher. He’s been doing lots of training and finished fourth at the Worlds.”

Another Japanese pairing, Ai Kondo/Naoko Kamata are third placed on countback from Rechichi, with the second Aussie pairing of Queenslanders Lauren Jeffries/Rike Ziegelmayer fourth, just one point away in their close series.

Mat Belcher/Nick Behrens have taken their campaign to a new level, and lead the Men’s 470 by two points from Kazuto Seki/Syouichi Yanagawa (JPN), with double world champs, Nathan Wilmot/Malcolm Page third, just a point away following Races 2, 3 and 4.

“We couldn’t get going,” Wilmot said. “Our speed was OK in the earlier and last race, but we were slow in Race 3. We haven’t sailed since the Worlds – we hadn’t even unpacked the boat till we came here,” he added.

“Mat and Nick are so much faster now. They were fast at the Worlds and still getting faster – we are just not there at the moment,” Page said.

Roy Tay/Peiming Chung (SIN) are fourth and although they scored a win in Race 3, they fell down the board in Race 4 with a worst result to-date of seventh. Tay has been staying in Australia since last February and commented this afternoon, “I really like Melbourne. I have always found the people friendly. The only thing is the extreme weather – it just switches from one day to the next, but we are happy with how we are going so far.”

Anthony Nossiter (AUS) came up with two more solid wins in the Finn today to lead local sailor Ricky Ironmonger by three points. Ironmonger, representing the host club, Sandringham, said this afternoon, “I’m fast downwind, but struggle a bit going upwind.”

“I think I need a bit more technical nous with the rig,” the 20 year-old added. He went on to say that while their earlier race was sailed in light breeze, which suits him better, he was happy to sail well later in the 8-12 knot sea breeze. William Wild from Queensland is in third place with a further couple of third places.

Michael McLean (AUS) is pounding away at Peter Russell (AUS) in the 2.4mR class, but Russell has him by one point following a further two races. Each won one and finished second in the other.

“It’s been pretty close racing all round at this event. The races are close and the series is close. It was just beautiful out there today – a good steady breeze, warm and dry!”

Explaining his win of Race 3, the disabled sailor commented, “I was the first one thinking tactically in that race; I got the shift at the top mark and didn’t look back.”

Yesterday’s leader, Michael Leydon (AUS) has dropped back to third place after a disastrous fifth and a better third place in Race 4. They are the only class not to have a race drop in play.

China feature in the top two places in the Laser Radial class following two further races. Xu Lijia leads Shen Huanqi by one point, although Lijia scored her worst result, an 11th in Race 4, which she subsequently used for a drop. Laura Baldwin (GBR) has lifted into third place overall, a win in Race 4 lifting her result and spirits, but at a cost to yesterday’s third place holder, Krystal Weir.

Weir came out well, finishing fourth in Race 3, but had a shocker in Race 4, with an unlucky 13th place, which she dropped. She is only one point behind the Brit.

Casper Bouman (NED) continues to lead the Men’s RS:X sailboard discipline. So far, four races have been sailed and the Dutchman has won three with a third in Race 4. Another ‘name’ in sailboarding Jon-Paul “JP” Tobin (FRA) is second with 3-3-4 results today and Joeri Van Dijk (NED) is third after scoring a trio of second places today in a fleet that is being dominated by the international entries. Youth sailor Corey Plant is best placed for Australia in seventh place, following early challenger Steve Allen’s OCS in Race 3 today. But Allen came back to win Race 4.

In the Women’s fleet, a totally different top three after three races today. The new leader is Chen Qiubin (CHN) after 2-4-2 results, then comes Yasuko Kosuge (JPN), just two points behind following her win of Race 2. Allison Shreeve, attempting her second Olympic campaign, is happy with her third place overall after she won Race 4 this afternoon.

Racing continues at Sail Melbourne tomorrow from 12.00pm, starting with the 49er fleet.

Sandringham Yacht Club was packed to capacity this afternoon, as many finished their day early and stopped to catch up with friends over a drink or two.

“It’s good to see so many sailors here and we welcome all, especially those from overseas,” said Sandringham CEO, Richard Hewett this afternoon.

Officials too, are pleased with the regatta, in particular the fact that the weather has been more than could be hoped for – sunny skies and mixed conditions, giving all the opportunity to sail to the best of their ability.

Sail Melbourne is made possible by the support of event sponsors: Sport & Recreation Victoria, Collex, Parks Victoria; associate sponsors Bayside City Council and Menere's BMW Brighton and support sponsors Ronstan International, Schenker Australia, City of Kingston and the City of Port Philip.

Source: Di Pearson