| AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND-(7-1-2007) 232 sailors at the 420 World Championships 2007 in Takapuna were tested today with light shifty conditions. New Zealand managed to shine through despite the trying conditions, and the overnight leaders are looking even stronger.
Conditions frustrated sailors and race officials alike at Takapuna today when a south westerly breeze that greeted sailors in the morning on arrival at the Club died away leaving very light shifty conditions. More than half of the women's fleet recorded a DNF in the second race of the day when the maximum time limit was reached before they crossed the finish.
Open fleet leaders, Carl Evans and Peter Burling (NZL) had two 3rd places and a 5th in the three races sailed today and retain their top spot. Despite this being their least successful day, they have now opened up a twelve point lead, now two days into the four day finals series.
Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth (NZL) started the day with a race win, their first in the finals series. Their second race, an OCS, is discarded as their worst score, and they rounded out the day with an 8th placing. They're now comfortably in second place with team-mates Rowan Swanson and Bruce Kennedy (NZL) twelve points adrift in third.
The top three pecking order shows no change after today in the women's fleet with Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie (NZL) stretching out their lead. Their two races today were their poorest results to date, but it was a mixed bag for everyone, and they now have a 33 point lead. Aleh and Powrie placed fourth and then ninth in today's two races.
Shelley Hesson and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher have closed the gap on Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson, after the two races sailed today. Both of the kiwi pairs are on equal points in second and third place overall.
Further back the Italian pair of Eugenia De Giacomo and Lisa Lardani is in fourth place.
Racing resumes at midday tomorrow with winds of around 20 knots forecast. The regatta concludes Tuesday afternoon.
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