#British boats occupy the top three slots at the Flying Fifteen Europeans as racing was cut short yesterday due to lack of wind on Italy's Lake Garda. Dun Laoghaire pair John Lavery and David O'Brien are now fifth overall, finishing 17th in the single light to medium air race yesterday, the fourth day of the championship.
A consistent performance from Greg Wells and Richard Rigg of Hayling Island SC sees the pair lead into this morning's final day, with three races scheduled but a thunderstorm threatens to cut short the event.
Dubliner Alan Green, of the National YC, crewing with Britain's Charles Apthorp has moved into third overall. World Champions Steve Goacher and Phil Evans of Windemere are third.
Race four report from Flying fifteen Association
The day dawned with some high clouds and higher humidity. There was enough heat to kill the peler and generate the Ora but only about 10 knots at 1.30 when the postponed race was started.
Those that started near the pin end and tacked onto port benefitted from a 10 degree lift and it looked certain that a group of boats led by Charles Apthorp/Alan Green would lead at the windward mark. However, towards the top end of the course the wind veered and Greg Wells/Richard Rigg and David and Sally McKee came in from the middle right to round 1st and 3rd respectively with Apthorp sandwiched between.
Most boats did a gybe set onto the run but halfway down the wind shifted back to the south east and increased to 15 knots. Steve Goacher/Phil Evans and Anthony Osman/Andrew Murphy gained from this to move into 3rd and 4th behind Wells and Apthorp. The McKees were one of many boats to be caught out by this violent change.
Up the next beat the wind once again veered at the top of the cause which allowed Wells to extend and in a dying breeze crossed the downwind finish comfortably ahead. Apthorp was 2nd and Goacher 3rd. Shortly after the last boat finished the wind disappeared and despite an effort to start a 2nd race the race officer abandoned racing at 4.30.
Going into the final day Wells/Rigg hold a 7 point lead over Goacher/Evans. 3 races are scheduled with a 2nd discard kicking in after 9 races.
