#swchyeres – Sailing a consistent series that counts no result out of the top ten after nine races (3 7 7 6 2 8 (10) 3 3), has put Ireland's Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern into second overall at the ISAF World Cup in Hyeres. Now just 11 points off the overall lead the Irish skiff duo's result thus far is a stand–out performance in the 80–boat fleet.
The Irish pair finished a disappointing 35th at ISAF Sailing World Cup Mallorca but impressed in the gold fleet today with a discarded tenth and two thirds. After racing Seaton said, "It's the second regatta for us this year and we're just getting back into it.
"It was a pretty solid day. We really wanted to get good starts and try to be consistent and it turned out to be quite a good day. It was very tricky with the fleet really close and the racing's really good. Everybody's trying to get prepared in the build-up to the Santander Worlds and the fleet is getting more competitive."
See short interview with Ryan Seaton in the above ISAF vid.
With a full complement of races completed thus far the leader boards are shaping up nicely with fine margins between the world's top sailing talents.
After a short morning postponement the 1,111 sailors were greeted with an increasing 13-17 knot westerly breeze as well as a smooth sea state. Racing kicked off shortly after 12:00 local time.
After seven races in the Laser Radial class, Annalise Murphy has also moved up from 15th to 12th overall with a gold fleet win in race seven this afternoon to bring her to within six points of the top ten in her 79–boat fleet.
But It's now a familiar picture in the Laser Radial with Evi Van Acker (BEL) and Marit Bouwmeester (NED) battling it like old times.
A second and a third apiece ensures Van Acker leads on nine points with Bouwmeester on 11 points.
Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR) holds on to third overall following a ninth and a fifth.
Belfast's James Espey is 75th in his 123–boat mens Laser fleet after six races.
Ireland's new women's skiff combination have retained their teens position, Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey lie 17th from 42 after nine races in the 49erfx Olympic debutante class.
Racing commences at 11:00 local time on Thursday 24 April as the sailors enter a critical point of the regatta.
