Racing further out to sea in a westerly 9–12 knot breeze on Rio's Pia course, Annalise Murphy scored 12th in race eight and is in bronze medal position going into the final two qualifying races tomorrow. Race eight completed a tough day on the water for the Dubliner who lost the overall lead but stays very much in the mix for the medals, just 14–points off the lead.

Annalise rounded the top mark in race eight in ninth place in good company from the left and importantly had rivals Marit Bouwmeester (NED), Anne–Marie Rindom (DEN) and China's Lila Xu behind her. 

On the first downwind leg, Annalise opted to go low, a good bit below the rhumb line and ended up getting pushed high to the leeward gate by overall leader Rindom.

On the first downwind leg Annalise opted to go low, a good bit below the rhumb line

Nearly the entire 37–boat fleet headed left on the second beat, to the extent that it appeared to be consistently paying to be on the left side of the Pia course. Annalise was somewhere between tenth and 14th, and was furthest left on and on the layline, or above it, on the last quarter of the beat. The tracker put her 12th in a good lane when Boumeester tacked inside her and Annalise rounded 11th.

On the next run, Annalise went left and this time stuck more to the rhumb line, but it was neck and neck with the Dutch World Number One for the entire leg.

At the line, after 50 minutes of hard racing, Annalise took 12th with Bouwmeester 13th. Results are provisional and subject to protest.

Top ten overall in the Radial class after eight races

Races nine and ten will be held tomorrow.

Annalise Murphy has finished 18th in race seven and dropped to third in the overall standings. The race, her worst result of the regatta so far, was a struggle in eight to 12 knots but the Dubliner will be boosted by a great light air comeback over taking 10 boats on the second round of the Laser Radial course to get back into the teens in the 37–boat fleet. Race eight follows.

Overall top ten below after seven: 

Annalise Murphy faces a wait for wind in Rio today after her Race seven in the Laser Radial Class was abandoned. The light air race was scrubbed due to a major wind shift, which, if it had continued, would have produced an unfair race. Competitors are now back in the starting area waiting for winds to settle. Currently there is no wind on the Copacabana course.

In a composed heavy weather performance, Annalise Murphy scored a 5 and 2 today to lead the Olympic regatta overall going into tomorrow's rest day.

In a masterful display in races five and six, Murphy produced the same world beating form that saw her lift the European Radial title in 2013. The Dubliner has completed the half–way stage of the competition with an extremely consistent 1, 13, 4, 7, 5, 2 on the scoresheet.

With winds reaching over 20–knots on Rio's Ocean course today, the National Yacht Club star produced her best day on the water yet to lead the regatta by one point. 

However, Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) had an even better day with scores of 3,1 to move to within a point of Murphy. 

It wasn't such a good outing for the reigning Olympic Champion Lijia Xu (CHN), whose scores of 8,12 have dropped the Chinese sailor down to fifth overall. An even bigger casualty was Evi van Acker (BEL), whose scores of 16,15 have dropped the 2012 bronze medallist to tenth overall. With just four races before the Medal Race, time is running out for van Acker to get back in contention.

After a hectic race five, where Annalise Murphy lost fourth place in the closing stages, a dramatic race six saw Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) win followed by Annalise then FIN, SWE, LTU, NED, USA, ESP, GBR. 

It puts things incredibly tight at the top of the table. One point behind Ireland's medal hope is Rindom (the only sailor without a result outside the top ten) and World Champion Marit Boumeester of Holland is third just a further point behind. 

Four more races before Monday's final are forecasted to be sailed in lighter winds, adding to the drama of Ireland's Laser Radial medal chance.  Results from Friday and Saturday will decide the top ten for the medal race climax with Annalise's performance to date putting her right in the frame.

Meanwhile, in the Laser class Carlow's Finn Lunch finished 18 and 27 respectively in his two races today and is 24 overall. He has a break tomorrow as well before resuming on Friday.

In an unstoppable performance from Ireland's 'Breeze Queen', Annalise Murphy was again at the top of her Rio Olympic fleet at the half way stage of the Laser Radial regatta today. It puts Annalise (unofficially) third overall, just two points behind Holland and China.

In the waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, the Dubliner recorded another top five result, her third top five result of the regatta so far. 

Sitting in second overall after four skilful races sailed, the Dubliner went again in the Women’s laser radial today on the outside Cocapana course with 19-21 knots from the west, ideal conditions for the Irish helmswoman.

Wearing the silver/blue jersey to denote her place overall, Annalise rounded the first mark in fifth in the 37–boat fleet, about one minute behind leader, Marit Boumeester of Holland.

The top five established a big lead and within that group Annalise moved into fourth behind leaders NED, DEN and USA. It appears that Annalise unfortunately lost out in a reaching duel with Croatian Tina Mihelic in the closing stages and finished fifth and not fourth as reported earlier.

After that, those following the race across the world on the online tracker were frustrated when technology failed! 

The Radial course today was trapezoid, which included two short reaches along with windward-leeward legs. Two laps on the Windward-Leeward section were sailed. 

The provisional finishing order was Marit Bouwmeester (NED) in first followed by USA, DEN, CRO, IRL, GBR, SWE and CHN.

World Sailing continues to struggle with its results system. Results by Rio organisers are here.

There's another couple of 12–knot races in prospect for Annalise Murphy in the Olympic Laser Radial class today. But after that all similarities will end for the sailors as today's races five and six are on the Copacabana course which is outside the bay and at sea. It's a crucial stage as the regatta passes the half–way stage. The race area is subject to tidal conditions and winds are expected to be different to anything seen on the first two days, perhaps a little more like Annalise's home waters of Dublin Bay?

Annalise has been training in Rio on at least ten occasions over the past four years and will be familiar with all the course locations being sailed this week.

Start time is 5:10 Irish time. No TV coverage again. 

Annalise Murphy has sailed into second overall after two more tricky Rio races today. After an opening Olympic Radial race win yesterday and a 13th scored in race two, she started today with a well earned fourth in race three and this afternoon added a seventh in race four but it might have been even better for the Dublin yachtswoman who briefly lead the final race of the day.

Annalise ascended the rankings after a good day on the innermost Ponte course in Rio's Guanabara Bay. With the discard kicking after three races, China's Lijia Xu was able to discount her disqualification in Race 1, posting the day's best score of 3, 1 to lead by five points from Murphy in second with Denmark's Anne Marie Rindom in bronze, 2 points further back.

While second overall after four races shows a very consistent performance, Annalise will rue the loss of five places in the latter half of the fourth race, slipping from 2nd to 7th at the finish.

World Number one Marit Boumeester (NED) passes ahead of Ireland's Annalise Murphy in race three. Photo: Richard Langdon

After some very tricky sailing over the past two days, the Irish solo sailor is coping well with Rio's notoriously fickle breezes that have so far, at least, blown into double digits for the world renowned Irish 'Breeze Queen'. There is no doubt Annalise is making the very best of the conditions that have been presented to her on the opening two days of the regatta.Ireland's Annalise Murphy was challenging for the lead – and held it for a time – in Race four this afternoon as this screengrab from the live race tracker shows

The National Yacht Club sailor is making good on a prediction she made earlier this year where she included herself in a line up of eight of the girls who have the potential to medal in Rio.

Murphy has been in Rio at least ten times prior to the Games and only a fortnight ago won Rio de Janeiro International Sailing Week at the venue in similar conditions to today. It was obviously a pre–Olympic tonic in an otherwise fallow run of international results for the Irish sailing star. 

This has been a brilliant start for Annalise and Irish sailing, especially after the disappointment of London four years ago, but there is a long way to go with six races to come over the next four days.

Annalise will be out on the Copacabana course which is outside the bay at sea. Tidal conditions and breeze will present a completely different scenario to anything on the first two days which will make for more very interesting racing.

Laser Radial Results after four races at the Rio Olympics, showing IRL second

On the Men's course, Ireland's Finn Lynch, scored 15 and 40 to lie 24th overall. Argentina leads, with Croatia 2nd and New Zealand third.

Weather
The fresh breeze started the day in the south-south east and gradually veered to the south-south west maintaining a fairly steady pressure close to 12 knots during the race period. Tomorrow, when the Lasers race off the Copacabana beach, will see some showers, cooler temperatures and lighter winds.

Elsewhere
Britain's Nick Dempsey is dominating the RS:X men's board, posting three 1sts, a 2nd and a 4th, while in the female RS:X, Italy is one place ahead of France in RS:X women

Schedule
The Boards have a day off Wednesday, while Lasers and Radials race their fifth and sixth races. The 470s and multihulls get their regatta under way on Wednesday.

Annalise and Finn are back on the water for Race 5 at 5.15pm Irish time tomorrow before Race 6 at approximately 6.40pm. Thursday is a rest/reserve day for the two Laser events. Both the skiff events for men and women begin on Friday when all four of Ireland’s sailors are in action.

Laser Men
1. Julio Alsogaray, ARG, 7
2. Tonci Stipanovic, CRO, 13
3. Sam Meech, NZL, 14
Full results: https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-laser-men

Laser Radial Men
1. Lijia Xu, CHN, 7
2. Annalise Murphy, IRL, 12
3. Tuula Tenkanen, FIN, 13.3
Full results: https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-laser-radial-women

Annalise Murphy has sailed another exceptional race in the the top ten of the Laser Radial fleet in Rio this afternoon. The Irish medal hope moved progessively up the fleet in shifty conditions from eighth to seventh. On the final upwind leg the Dubliner moved in to fifth position within striking distance of fourth.

The race started in light patchy winds and then built to a 12–knot hiking breeze on the Ponte course.

On the final downwind leg the order was HUN, CHN, BEL, DEN and IRL. 

In another huge result for the National Yacht club star, Murphy, wearing the red jersey to indicate her third overall position after two races, overtook the much faniced Dane Ann Marie Rindom on the short reaching leg to the finish to clinch fourth.

Mária Érdi of Hungary was the race winner followed by BEL, CHN and then IRL.

Following yesterday's race win, It's another very impressive result for Murphy in a consistent performance so far in her 37–boat fleet. It's almost certainly going to be a counter in the best of ten–race series this week.

Race four follows this afternoon. No overalls available. The wind has slowly swung from SE to SW. There is a bit more wind on the Ponte course than the other two. Up to 12 knots at times.

The live tracker facility showed Annalise Murphy well placed in race three of the Radials in 14 knots of wind

4th Place in Race 3!! HUGE RESULT!! #COYGIG

— Annalise Murphy (@Annalise_Murphy) August 9, 2016

Annalise Murphy has been promoted to third overall at Rio Olympic Sailing Regatta following the disqualification of regatta leader Lijia Xu from race one of the Laser Radial Class yesterday. Murphy is now on 14 points, alongside Evi Van Acker (BEL) and Ashley Stoddart (AUS). The Irish girl is listed ahead of the others due to her win in the first race.

Xu's disqualification was for failing to get well clear of other boats in good time following a port and starboard with American sailor Paige Railey. Demonstrating that seconds are crucial, the jury noted that the Chinese sailor rounded the mark four seconds after the hail and then commenced her turns. Apparently she should have sailed to windward immediately she heard the hail and exonerated herself before the mark.

World Sailing continues to struggle with the results - twelve hours after racing ended they are still not complete.

Races 3 and 4 today for the Lasers and Radials will take place on the Ponte course, the most landward of all the courses. Today's forecast suggests southerly winds building from 11 knots at the 1300 (1700 Irish) start to 16 knots by close of play.

Irish sailing's medal hopeful Annalise Murphy is lying fourth overall after her first two races in Rio today.

The National Yacht Club sailor got her Olympic dreams off to a perfect start in an explosive first race. She provided the world with further evidence of her blistering medium to heavy air pace in a cracking first of ten races in the single–handed class.

She opened her account at the 2016 Olympic Games in a very impressive manner, taking the bullet in the first race. Following up with a 14th in race 2, the Rathfarnham sailor made most of the stronger than normal breeze that kicked off the Rio regatta to lie 4th overall after day one.

While the organisation appears to be having some problems with broadcasting the scoring, apologising through the blog for the shortcomings, the conditions in Rio did not fall short with a mean wind speed of 14 knots and gusts up to 18 knots favouring the Escola Naval course, just off the Olympic Marina.

.@Annalise_Murphy crosses the line in 14th in Race 2 of the Women's Laser Radial Class. #Sailing #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/k3aOeEDEUH

— Team Ireland (@olympiccouncil) August 8, 2016

Murphy clearly enjoyed the above average wind speed, and ends the day bookended by two of the pre-event favourites, Denmark's Anne-Marie Rindom in 3rd place and the Belgian Evi Van Acker in 4th. 2012 Gold medallist, Liija Xu of China, leads overall with a 3rd and a 4th, from Marit Bouwmeester of the Netherlands, another pre-regatta favourite, whose 6th and 5th places put her in 2nd overall. 

Murphy's performance will not suprise insiders, only two weeks ago the 25–year–old won in similar conditions in one of the many Rio test events. She has previously said she is one of eight that has the ability to win in Rio. There are 10 races throughout the week before the medal race takes place next Monday, so this is definitely a marathon not a sprint. 

While the Radials are not far off following the predictions, the Laser fleet saw some of the favourites having to recover from deep, particularly in Race 1, where pre-regatta favourites, Tom Burton, (AUS), Nick Thompson (GBR) and Robert Scheidt (BRA) were in the twenties for long periods. Scheidt recovered well to win race 2 as did his wife Gintare (LTU) in the radial fleet, overcoming a U flag disqualification in race 1. 

Annalise's club–mate 20-year-old Finn Lynch is 21st after his two opening races today. The Carlow man came home in 14th and 27th place.

Racing continues tomorrow for both these fleets, with race numbers 3 and 4 scheduled.