As a result European champion Markus Wieser moves to the top of the leaderboard in Dun Laoghaire this morning after a consistent performance led to a first and fourth place that was scored in light and shifting conditions.
15 knot north westerly winds yesterday morning brought ideal sailing which held throughout the race. A mark rounding chart produced by the race organisers shows a straight line for Wieser who led the race from start to finish. Danish champion Frank Berg was second. Third was Ireland's Mick Cotter.
The breeze evaporated at lunch time and the third race was delayed. There were many who were surprised that it started at all. Crews did their best to fill spinnakers. Spotting wind on the course was at a premium.
A raft–up of 75% of the fleet occurred at the second leeward mark when, after several large shifts the wind died away.
It was a spectacle that produced plenty of incidents and allowed the top six boats, including Wieser, to produce a large lead in a breeze that had swung in to the north east.
As a result nearly half the fleet could not finish within the time limit and were scored DNF (Did Not Finish). In spite of some strong criticism as to whether the race could have been shortened or abandoned no protest was lodged to have the race thrown out.
Race officer Alan Crosbie was only too well aware of the difficulties encountered and admitted that at times it was 'fifty fifty' as to whether it should have continued. "Its my job to make these difficult decisions" he said.
Today's fourth race will mark the half way point of the regatta and already the top of the score sheet is looking like a re-run of the Europeans with European silver medallist Berg of Denmark trailing Wieser by 11 points.
The Royal St. George's Andrew Craig may have replaced Simon Brien as top Irish performer in 11th but he is aware that the 24th scored yesterday morning could have been a lot higher except for some early handling mistakes in race two.
Last night Irish champion Neil Hegarty took a protest over a decision to disqualify him from race two after he had finished second ahead of Berg. Hegarty was judged to have been over the line at the start, a situation that could have been corrected, he claimed, if a sound signal had been made.
Weather forecasters are giving more of the same on Dublin bay for this morning's (Tuesday) race four further indicator that the 2007 worlds looks likely to be a high scoring regatta.
