It's first blood to Cork/Dublin pairing Peter O'Leary and David Burrows who lie five places and ten points ahead of Dun Laoghaire's Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks after a blustery first day of racing in the Olympic Star keelboat class at the Delta Lloyd regatta. It's Holland's biggest sailing fixture, the fifth of seven ISAF World Cup events, and it's serving as the first of two Irish selection trials for the London Olympics.

With over 30 knots registered on their racing area, the Stars were postponed until 5pm this afternoon to allow for the wind to abate. It was still around 20 knots when the Star fleet started their first of two races after 6pm!

Dun Laoghaire's Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks in the first race of the Delta Lloyd Series

O'Leary and Burrows, who were second overall in March's Bacardi Cup, have scored a fixth and sixth in the 23-boat fleet, Treacy and Shanks a ninth and a 12th to lie fifth and tenth respecctively. The regatta is being led by Brazilian Gold medalist Roberth Sheidt and his crew Bruno Prada. Britain's Beijing Gold medallists Ian Percy and Andrew Simpson are second.

Racing in the 11–race series continues until Sunday.

Irish sailing's golden girl Annalise Murphy has shot to the top of the Laser Radial fleet in strong winds at the ISAF World Cup series in Medemblik today, counting a third in the first race and a second this afternoon to be placed second overall after day one. The National Yacht Club sailor should have won the opener to give here the overall lead but she capsized and got her mast stuck in the mud.

 

Irish sailing's bid for Olympic glory in London next year kicks off today when rival helmsmen Max Treacy and Peter O'Leary square up for the right to represent Ireland next July at the Olympic Regatta in Weymouth.

The Irish Star keelboat Olympic trials gets underway today on the waters off Medemblik, Holland as part of the massive ISAF Delta Lloyd regatta.

O'Leary with new crew (and triple Olympian) David Burrows will go head to head with Treacy and Anthony Shanks in a 23-boat fleet that has attracted all the top teams, a mirror of next year's Olympic regatta itself.

Also competing in Holland is Laser Radial sailor Annalise Murphy and the two 49er crews.

The new procedures set out for Olympic qualification were announced by the Irish Sailing Association in January.

The fifth of seven ISAF Sailing World Cup Regattas runs in Medemblik until 29 May.

The 2010-2011 ISAF Sailing World Cup has seen some of the world's best fleet racing sailors, match racing sailors and paralympic sailors compete as they prepare for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition which will be held in Weymouth, England.

And the Star class is no exception featuring another field full of Olympic medallists and world champions. World #1 and current ISAF Sailing World Cup Star Standings leaders Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) will be looking to hit the sort of form that has seen them pick up the gold medal at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR and the Semaine Olympique Française.

The pair, who won silver at the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, will face stiff competition in Medemblik from compatriots and 2004 Olympic gold medallists Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira. Grael and Ferreira are currently #10 in the world and find themselves ninth in the Star Standings. Also set to attend is 2008 Olympic gold medallists and Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE winners Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (GBR) and last years Delta Lloyd Regatta winners and 2009-2010 ISAF Sailing World Cup Star Champions Eivind Melleby and Petter Morland Pedersen.

Ed Wright (GBR) has finished at the top of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Finn Standings for two years in a row. But this year he looks like relinquishing his crown with Ben Ainslie (GBR) currently leading the 2010-2011 Standings on 60 points after three regatta victories compared to Wright's 46 points with a best place finish of second at Sail Melbourne.

Wright will have a chance to close the gap on Ainslie in Medemblik as the multiple Olympic gold medallist will not be attending. Nonetheless Wright will have his work cut out with World #1 Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO), World #10 Dan Slater (NZL) and the Netherland's own Pieter-Jan Postma all registered to sail in the 74 boat fleet in Medemblik.

In the Men's RS:X Dorian Van Rijsselberge (NED) has sailed at the Rolex Miami OCR and at the Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE and convincingly won both regattas. But after missing out the Semaine Olympique Française he lost his spot at the top of the Men's RS:X Standings to Shahar Zubari (ISR) who has a three point lead having finished in the top ten in Miami, Palma and Hyères.

But of the top ten in the Men's RS:X Standings only Van Rijsselberge, Ricardo Santos (BRA) in seventh and Aichen Wang (CHN) in tenth will sail so all will have a chance to climb up the overall Standings.

In the Women's RS:X there are 42 sailors registered to compete with Australia's three time Olympian Jessica Crisp the highest placed sailor in the Standings set to attend. Crisp is eleventh just two points ahead of Patricia Freitas in twelfth and Flavia Tartaglini (ITA), the bronze medallist in Medemblik in 2009 at 13. All three will be set to take their opportunity to claim a medal and move up the Standings.

The top five teams on the 49er Standings are not set to compete in Medemblik but this is still a high class field. The fleet includes World #5 Steve Morrison and Ben Rhodes (GBR), World #10 Emil Toft Nielsen and Simon Toft Nielsen (DEN) and World #9 Nathan Outteridge, direct from the Zhik SB3 Worlds, and Iain Jensen (AUS).

Ireland's Embarr helmed by the Olympic Gold Medallist Nathan Wilmot has lost the lead after the seond day of racing at the Melges 24 World Sailing Championships at Corpus Christie, Texas.  The Irish boat skippered by Dubliner Conor Clarke stays in the top five however after scoring a 5 and 11 in yesterday's two further rounds in the highly competitive 103-boat fleet. Scroll down for Rick Tomlinson's great event photos.

Day two  delivered two spectacular races sailed in near perfect conditions, under crystal clear skies and in a solid breeze which built from 15 up to around 19 knots throughout the day. Lorenzo Bressani on ITA 817 Uka Uka Racing, and Brian Porter on USA 749 Full Throttle, traded blows at the front of the fleet in both races, with Bressani winning ahead of Porter in Race 3 and then Porter holding off Bressani to take the win in Race 4. Bressani's near perfect performance today means that he tops the leaderboard tonight with an 11 point lead over Kristen Lane on USA 812 Brick House 812, whose 10, 3, scoreline sees her in second overall, tied on points with Flavio Favini on SUI 596 Blu Moon in third, and Andrea Racchelli on ITA 735 Altea. Yesterday's overnight leader Nathan Wilmot on IRL 607 Embarr could only manage a fifth and an eleventh today, dropping him down to fifth overall.

Reveling in the windier conditions on Day 2, Brian Porter on USA 749 Full Throttle and Lorenzo Bressani on ITA 817 Uka Uka Racing, spent both of today's races engaged in their own private battle at the front of the fleet. Bressani led the first race of the day from start to finish, with Porter chasing hard throughout in second. In the second race of the day, it was Porter who led at the windward mark ahead of Bressani who arrived at the buoy on port tack, just a couple of boat lengths behind. With no gap to tack into, Bressani was forced to duck behind two boats before then rounding in fourth. By the leeward gate, a charging Bressani was up to second and clearly focused on closing Porter down even further. As the leading pair blasted down the final run, Bressani had reduced Porter's lead to just a few lengths, and the Italian appeared to be gaining with every gust. In the last few feet to the finish, Porter, coming in at pace from the right, just managed to pull off a gybe in front Bressani, who was hurtling in from the left. With Bressani arriving at full speed on the layline to the finish, Porter was just able to complete his gybe in time enough to surf home, only a few feet ahead.

Despite finishing tenth in the first of today's races, Kristen Lane at the helm of USA 812 Brick House 812, proved that her race win on the opening day was no flash in the pan, when in the second race of the day she clawed her way back from a poor windward mark rounding to ultimately take third. Rounding the final windward mark in seventh place, Lane showed blistering pace down the last leg to move within striking distance of the pack of boats all scrapping for third. Nailing the port layline into the finish with absolute precision, Lane came in very hot from the left to snatch third place, after just managing to thread herself between the pin end line boat and the fast approaching bowsprits of Andrea Racchelli on ITA 735 Altea, Flavio Favini on SUI 596 Blu Moon and Bora Gulari on USA 820 New England Ropes/West Marine. Lane's gutsy maneuver has earned her second place in the overall standings at the end of Day 2.

It is a testimony to the extremely close nature of the racing at this championship that second placed Lane is in a three way tie on points with both Favini and Racchelli, who are in third and fourth places respectively. Indeed just six points separate second from seventh overall. A fifth and an eleventh today for yesterday's regatta leader Nathan Wilmot on IRL 607 Embarr sees him drop to fifth place overall, with a four point advantage over Alec Cutler on BER 655 hedgehog in sixth. After a poor opening day by his own standards, Brian Porter on USA 749 Full Throttle has moved up to seventh by way of his 2,1 performance today.

Now holding an eleven point advantage at the top of the standings, the reigning world champions on Uka Uka Racing, were looking understandably calm and relaxed after racing today. "Yes it was a good day for us." commented their tactician Jonathan McKee. "We are obviously very happy with the way things went today. We managed to get off the line quickly and we felt we had good boatspeed in those conditions." Asked if he had been following a particular strategy today, he had this to say "It was all surprisingly subtle out there. The wind was pretty steady and there wasn't a consistent side of the racecourse which seemed to pay. It was more about finding the best pressure downwind and avoiding the bad sets of waves upwind." Trimmer Federico Michetti, paid this tongue in cheek tribute to his helmsman. "Rufo (Lorenzo Bressani) likes the breezy conditions, so this makes it very easy for the rest of us. He is like a racehorse, we just take the blinkers off his eyes at the start, and off he goes!"

In the all amateur Corinthian Division, Eiichiro Hamazaki on JPN 783 continued to dominate with another pair of bullets to give him an 11 point overall lead over August Hernandez on USA 533 High Voltage in second and Christof Wieland on GER 635 Unsponsored in third.

With the normal weather system in Corpus Christi now appearing to have re-established itself, local opinion suggests that tomorrow may bring windier conditions still. Racing on Day 3 is scheduled to start at 11 AM local time with two more races scheduled.

Racing at the 2011 Melges 24 World Championship in Corpus Christi Texas continues tomorrow Wednesday 18 May and runs through until Saturday 21 May.

Results after Day two

Pos, Bow/Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 21 / ITA 817, UkaUka Racing, Lorenzo Bressani, Club Vela Portocivitanova, 6-2-1-2- ; 11   
2. 02 / USA 812, Brick House 812, Kristen Lane, St. Francis Yacht Club, 8-1-10-3- ; 22T   
3. 20 / SUI 596, Blu Moon, Flavio Favini, YCL, 3-6-8-5- ; 22T   
4. 15 / ITA 735, ALTEA, Andrea Racchelli, CVCI, 4-7-7-4- ; 22T   
5. 04 / IRL 607, Embarr, Conor Clarke, Royal Jamaica Yacht Club, 2-5-5-11- ; 23   
6. 17 / BER655, hedgehog, Alec Cutler, Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, 9-8-3-7- ; 27   
7. 29 / USA-749, FULL THROTTLE, Brian Porter, Lake Geneva Yacht Club., 16-9-2-1- ; 28   
8. 01 / USA 811, WTF, Alan Field, California Yacht Club, 1-11-11-8- ; 31   
9. 16 / ITA 819, AUDI, Riccardo Simoneschi, YCCS, 7-12-4-9- ; 32   
10. 32 / JPN 783, Esprit, Eiichiro Hamazaki[Corinthian], Seabonia Yacht Club, 11-4-9-15- ; 39   
11. 25 / USA 820, New England Ropes/West Marine, Bora Gulari, Bayview Yacht Club, 15-10-12-6- ; 43   
12. 06 / USA 623, Brick House 623, Peter Lane, St. Francis Yacht Club, 18-18-6-10- ; 52   
13. 27 / NOR 804, Full Medal Jacket, Eivind Melleby, Royal Norwegian Yacht Club, 5-3-33/DSQ-12- ; 53T   
14. 08 / AUS 553, Bandit, Warwick Rooklyn, CYCA, 14-13-13-13- ; 53T   
15. 22 / FRA 644, ZIG ZAG 18, Henri Samuel, YACHT CLUB DE DINARD, 12-16-15-17- ; 60   
16. 24 / USA 786, BATTLE RHYTHM, Guy Mossman, Carolina Yacht Club, 22-15-17-14- ; 68   
17. 26 / USA 604, Tom Slick, Jeff Wittenberg, Columbia, 10-23-16-22- ; 71   
18. 07 / AUS 686, Coco, Heath Walters, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, 13-17-19-26- ; 75T   
19. 10 / USA 533, High Voltage, August Hernandez[Corinthian], Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club, 28-14-14-19- ; 75T   
20. 31 / USA 379, Team Velocitek, Daniel Kaseler, Port Madison Yacht Club, 20-21-20-18- ; 79   
21. 05 / USA 700, ARDOR/C.R.E.A.M., David O'Reilly, ChYC, 19-20-23-20- ; 82   
22. 28 / GER 635, Unsponsored, Christof Wieland[Corinthian], Bayrischer Yacht Club, 33/RAF-19-18-16- ; 86   
23. 13 / USA 615, Funtech Racing, Charlie Hess[Corinthian], BYC, 24-27-21-21- ; 93   
24. 03 / USA 674, Rosebud, Scott Holmgren[Corinthian], OCBC, 23-26-22-23- ; 94   
25. 14 / USA 24, Smokin, Kevin Clark[Corinthian], Encinal, 21-24-28-24- ; 97   
26. 09 / USA 344, Cold Shot, Steve Eller[Corinthian], Austin Yacht Club, 17-28-25-29- ; 99T   
27. 12 / USA675, 12happythoughts, David Brede, CYC Seattle, 25-25-24-25- ; 99T   
28. 11 / CAN 121, Black Dog, Dave Black[Corinthian], Etobicoke Yacht Club, 27-22-27-28- ; 104   
29. 33 / USA 480, Monsoon II, Mark Hulings[Corinthian], Corpus Christi Yacht Club, 26-30-26-31- ; 113   
30. 18 / USA 494, Wee Jaggie, Andrew Walford[Corinthian], Oklahoma City Boat Club, 30-31-29-27- ; 117   
31. 23 / USA 15, Abordage, Erwan le Gall[Corinthian], Golden Gate Yacht Club, 29-29-30-30- ; 118   
32. 30 / USA 201, Mako, Stephen McMillan, Tahoe City Yacht Club, 31-32-31-32- ; 126  

Following ISAF's final choice of sailing events for the 2016 Olympics, including a women's skiff, RS Sailing has announced it plans to develop the RS900 to compete for this role.

While that selection decision is yet to be made by an evaluation team across a range of designs a more immediate issue for Ireland is trying to find an Irish women's crew to campaign such a boat for Brazil.

There is huge interest in the new skiff style sailing internationally but Ireland have not had a double handed women's dinghy crew since Atlanta 1996 so gauging interest here in the new class might be difficult.

The RS900 will be an all-new boat incorporating developments from the highly respected RS800 hull, a new deck, new wings and a new rig. The RS900 will only go into full production if it is selected for the Olympics.

Early testing of a prototype RS900 has shown the performance can be close to a 49er - with optimised handling targeted to suit ISAF's specified weight range for female teams.

 

The new RS900 - a new Olympic class?

RS Sailing is also one of the very few companies with proven credentials for the production of one-design race boats in large volumes, plus an established global distribution network – able, therefore, to be a strong partner for ISAF in the successful introduction of a new flagship Olympic event.

"This is a serious project for us" says Martin Wadhams, managing director of RS Sailing. "It will take a great boat to do justice to the Olympic role and a new generation of female sailing athletes. It will also take a significant commitment to work with ISAF on the strategy to launch the new class quickly and effectively if it wins selection. We're up for that."

Nick Peters, head of development at RS Sailing comments "We learned at lot from the initial women's skiff trials at Hyeres four years ago. The RS800 which we took there was perhaps the closest existing class to meet the requirement range of a new Olympic boat – but we understood that the final boat we put forward would need to be more responsive, faster and more challenging to sail. Early sailing of the new RS900 leaves us in no doubt that we have a worthy skiff on our hands. We just need final confirmation of some key evaluation criteria, such as the target sailor weight range, to allow us to confirm we'll undertake the investment needed to compete and then refine the boat to the role."

A number of key features can be seen from the photos, but are liable to change. More technical details will be released as development progresses and all elements are finalised.

Sea Mist Presented No Obstacle for Saturday's Dublin Bay Sailing Club Fleet all the results here. The ISORA fleet raced to Rockabill and back but only 13 entered for the 50-miler.

Abroad, Keelboats are out of the Olympic Games (and kitesurfing is in!). Royal St. George Knights were quarter finalists at the British Team Racing Champs. There is video too with Irish commentator Jimmy Fitzpatrick.

Should Kinsale Yacht Club move or rebuild a crumbling premises?

Act one, scene one of Irish sailing's bid for Olympic glory in London next years kicks off this month when rival helmsmen Max Treacy and Peter O'Leary square up for the right to represent Ireland next July at the Olympic Regatta in Weymouth.

The Irish Star keelboat Olympic trials gets underway on May 24th on the waters off Medemblik, Holland as part of the massive ISAF Delta Lloyd regatta.

O'Leary with new crew (and triple Olympian) David Burrows will go head to head with Treacy and Anthony Shanks in a 23-boat fleet that has attracted all the top teams, a mirror of next year's Olympic regatta itself.

The two Irish boats haven't met since last August when O'Leary sensationally won Britain's Sail for Gold Olympic test event at Weymouth and Treacy withdrew with boat problems.

Since then O'Leary and Burrows have been training in the USA scoring a significant second overall at the Bacardi Cup in February.

Treacy and Shanks have proved a formidable combination clocking up some impressive results over a decade or so in the Star class competing first for a place for Athens 2004, then Beijing and now London. It is understood the pair are hooking up next week with long time training partner (and British Olympic Gold medalist) Ian Percy for an intensive two week training session.

While the first of the nomination trials is to be held in Holland, the second is in July in Weymouth but it's worth remembering the first chance of nation qualification – where 75% of Olympic slots are up for grabs – is not until December in Perth, Australia.

The new procedures set out for Olympic qualification were announced by the Irish Sailing Association in January.

The memory of the selection debacle from four years ago is still very much in mind. Back in 2008 a decision to send O'Leary instead of Treacy was made by an ISA selection committee rather than on the water trials, a move that was unsuccessfully appealed by Treacy to the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI). It was a divisive period for Olympic sailing in Ireland.

Confirmation this week that both teams are entered for the Delta Lloyd regatta in Holland and both boats are also entered for Perth indicates the stage is set for the next episode of Star wars.

Over the next few days hundreds of boats will arrive in Dun Laoghaire in preparation for the Mitsubishi Youth National Championships over the May Bank Holiday weekend (29 April – 02 May).

Over 300 sailors will compete in Dublin Bay in seven different classes (Laser Radial, Laser 4.7, 420, Feva, Topper, SL16 and Optimist). For youth sailors, this event is the most important in the annual calendar as it is the decider for the top Irish sailors to compete internationally during 2011 and is the pathway for future Olympic sailors. Podcast with Olympic Team Manager James O'Callaghan here.

The 420 fleet is already in situ as the Leinster Championships were held over Easter and the girls team Emma Geary and Niamh Connolly won the event in style. This team is the only 420 crew to qualify internationally for a place on the Irish team to compete in the ISAF Youth Worlds in Zadar, Croatia and will be looking to win next weekend to secure this honour.

Dublin Bay will host the 2012 ISAF Youth World Championships and this year's ISA Mitsubishi Youth National event is an important test event with representatives from the international sailing authority visiting Dun Laoghaire to view plans and test logistics.

In addition to the 420 fleet the Laser radial fleet will also be competing to qualify to represent Ireland in Croatia. Philip Doran aged 17 from Courtown in Wexford is the current former under 17 World Champion in the Laser Radial fleet although the National title has eluded him so far. In the girls fleet it will be a toss up between Saskia Tidey (RIYC) and Sophie Murphy (Quoile YC) as both already have a national title each under their belts.

A fleet of top Optimists are expected. Photo: Bob Bateman

The younger Optimist fleet is also celebrating this week after two top 5 positions at the Easter Regatta in Braassemermeer, the Netherlands. In fact an Irish team has competed at this event for 23 years and this is the first time that Ireland has won the country prize. Sean Donnelly from Dun Laoghaire who finished fourth in Braassemermeer is also leading the Optimist fleet in the trials and will be anxious to hold on to first position during the ISA Mitsubishi Youth Nationals.

In other fleets, the laser 4.7 fleet is enjoying record numbers with many ex-Optimist and Topper sailors choosing this boat. Finn Lynch from Blessington and Seafra Guilfoyle from Cork will be firm favourites to win the class.

Overall Dublin Bay will be a spectacle of sail over the May Bank holiday weekend with light winds forecast.

Mitsubishi Motors have been a proud supporter of junior sailing in Ireland for the last 7 years. In recent years Ireland has had successes at youth level with winner of the girls under 21 Laser World Championships and a top 10 at the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds and wins at the British National Optimist Championships.

The medium and shifty wind in the second day of racing in Hyères has brought new leaders in five classes. Ireland is fielding two 49er teams. Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern are 25th and Ed Butler and Ben Lynch lie 57th in their 67-boat fleet. Their result sheet is here. More Irish Olympic Sailing news.

The French teams of Pierre Leboucher and Vincent Garos added two victories to climb to the top of the scoreboard in the 470 men. They are closely followed by Nicolas Charbonnier and Jérémie Mion (FRA) in second while Mat Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS) are getting into third place.

"We are confident with our racing, but we need to keep realistic as we are only half way through the regatta. This is our first selection regatta so, to be in competition is a real motivation."

In the Laser radial, it is Princesa Sofia champion Sara Winther (NZL) who claims the day and the lead with top 3 racing. The French are also present in the top three with Sarah Steyaert (FRA) in second and Sophie de Turckheim in third.

British sailors are leading in the 49er and the Finn.

Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign (GBR) have enjoyed the difficult conditions with two bullets and a second in the 49er fleet. They are six points ahead of Emil and Simon Nielsen (DEN) and Dave Evans and Ed Powys (GBR).

"It was a really good day at the office. It all just seemed to come together, we got good starts, had good boat speed. It was a great day. We tend to like a bit of breeze – we can just throw the boat around and actually have a laugh jumping downwind but today was a bit more tense and you have to try and concentrate on boat speed all the time."explain the leaders.

Giles Scott, winner of the Rolex Miami OCR has taken a one point lead in the Finn fleet in front of Ben Ainslie now on equal points with Pieter-Jan Postma. Dan Slater (NZL) has won both races in his group in fourth position.

In the RS:X men, World Champion Piotr Myszka (POL) who shared the day's bullets with Shahar Zubari is in front of the men's windsurfers. He is only one point from the Beijing Bronze medallist who is playing his Olympic selection in Hyères.

In the other classes early leaders are comforting their top position.

World champion Blanca Manchon is showing her skills in the mixed conditions encountered since the start of the week. She wins today's both races in the medium breeze. Charline Picon remains in second place in front 2009 SOF winner, Cheina Pen (CHN).

Blanca Manchon explains her day: "I have been very fast and had a good day. I am racing at my best level. I don't want to push too much because the next event for me, Sail for Gold, is very important as it is part of our Olympic selection. I have well chosen the equipment for this event and everything is working fine. I will try and keep racing at this level tomorrow because it is the last day for qualifications and from Thursday all the best will race together. Feelings on the water can't be better and the wind so far has been with us."

Tom Slingsby (AUS) remains in first place in the Laser, with Javier Hernandez (ESP) climbing to second. Andy Maloney takes third. Class favourites, Andreas Geritzer (AUT), Michael Bullot (NZL), Julio Alsogaray (ARG), or British Paul Goodison and Nick Thompson (GBR) have suffered from the day's conditions and are outside the top 20.

Tara Pacheco and Berta Betanzos (ESP) are continuing on their good form with consistent top four

results. They have gained a eight points lead over Penny Clark and Katrina Hughes (GBR).

The Star class had one of the longest day on the water with three long races. Three places in the top four have given early leaders Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) a ten points lead over George Szabo and Mark Strube (USA). Diego Negri and Enrico Voltolini (ITA) are third.

In the women Match-racing, the top six teams have qualified for the Gold group. Claire Leroy is the only team to go in the Gold undefeated wit seven victories.

"It was a very nice day. We were strong with tight matches especially against the Finnish who was very fast. We fought hard, and gave penalties to all our opponents. To be in the Gold group means less stress and more time to get prepared for the quarter-finals." explains Leroy.

She is joined by Skudina (RUS), MacGregor (GBR), Barkow (USA), Groeneveld (NED) and Echegoyen (ESP) who qualifies for the first time in the Gold group. However, Palma Silver medallist Lehtinen (FIN) has narrowly missed the repechage and will continue in the Silver group.

In the three Paralympic classes, yesterday leaders have conserved their position.

Tomorrow will be the last chance for sailors racing in groups to qualify for the final stage and the Gold group

When the ISAF World Youth Sailing Championships are hosted on Dublin Bay in 2012 the regatta should be representative of the best of Irish sailing, organisation and hospitality and ignite an immediate but lasting legacy for youth and the future of Olympic sailing in Ireland writes Andi Roberston.

It is nearly two years since the prestigious global annual championships were awarded to Ireland and the organisation of the event has now developed substantial momentum. Already a core group of around 50 volunteer officials are working on the delivery of the regatta which, with up to 450-500 sailors and coaches from as many as 60 different nations, in terms of size, logistics and delivery stands as one of ISAF's big three major multiclass events alongside the four yearly Olympic regatta, and the ISAF Sailing World Championships.

At the helm of the organisation is Brian Craig, a former flag officer of the Royal Saint George YC on Dublin Bay, who for ten years has been instrumental in attracting, developing and running major regattas on these expansive world class racing waters, including the huge success that has been Dun Laoghaire Week. In particular a recent success has been pooling the resources of the Bay's major clubs to attract and manage big events.

"I think we are really in pretty good shape. There is a big groundswell of enthusiasm and excitement and we are drawing on that to develop a really first class, memorable event." Craig comments.

An advisory group composed of renowned experts who have many years of experience of the event in particular is at the core of organisation just now, including Bill O'Hara, International Judge and Volvo Ocean race officer, Jim Saltonstall the British coach who has attended almost all of the ISAF/IYRU Youth World Championships and helped develop a galaxy of Youth Worlds and Olympic medallists, Ken Ryan – a former ISAF Vice President who has more than 25 years of experience with ISAF and major events and Paddy Boyd, formerly Irish Sailing CEO and now Director of Canadian sailing's national governing. body.

It was a visit to the Youth World Championships in 2008 which convinced Craig that after ten years of development of the Clubs and infrastructure on Dublin Bay, the time was right for them to step up and land a major world class event.

"Now we have plenty of support for the event. We have government backing, the three major clubs, the Royal St George, the National Yacht Club and the Royal Irish are all behind us, the waterfront organisations, the tourist boards and the town itself. The support is great." Craig explains.

A delegation were in Istanbul at the last ISAF Youth World Championships in 2010 and in Croatia this coming summer, as well as a team observing and learning, several members of the race teams will be hands-on on the race courses this getting first hand experience to ensure good continuity in to next year.

"We have a fantastic site. A massive 700-800 metres of frontage with the three clubs all within five minutes of each other. We will create a central sailing village feature which will have an immediate public access so that there will be maximum interaction with the public, but where the sailors can still preserve their essential privacy in competition mode. We intend to absolutely preserve the competitive integrity of the event, but to make sure it works for public access."

To create a regatta which emphasises the cosmopolitan, international flavour of the regatta, but which also fully ensure the competitors enjoy the full experience of Irish culture, race days will themed for the public around many of the key nations – so there will be a French, Australian, Spanish, Chinese days as well as the underlying Irish hospitality and craic.

And while it is inevitable that only a few Irish sailors will compete at the ISAF World Championships on their home waters, in the interim period a ISAF Youth World Championships Road Show will visit Irish Sailing Clubs to stimulate interest and awareness of the event.

"We are determined that hosting the ISAF Youth World Championships will produce a lasting legacy for Irish sailing, perhaps seeding the future for Irish Youth Worlds or even Olympic medals. And at the same time we are determined to deliver a memorable, top class event with a distinctly Irish flavour." Concludes Craig.

The 2012 ISAF Youth World Championships are scheduled for the period 12th -21st July 2012. Around 350 sailors and 100 coaches from about 60 nations are expected to attend, composing a fleet of 250 boats. The race programme will last ten days. Classes will be the Laser Radial Boys and Laser Radial Girls, 420 Boys and 420 Girls, RS:X Boys and RS:X Girls. 29er Open Skiff, and the Open Formula 16 Catamaran. Boats or boards are supplied by Laser, Nautivela, Neil Pryde, Ovington and Serena.

In recent years Dublin Bay has hosted the Topper World Championships, the Star European Championships, the 500 boat Dun Laoghaire Regatta, the Laser 4.7 Europeans, Dragon World Championships, the Etchells World Championships (Howth), the SB3 World Championships, the 470 European Championships, the Flying 15 World Championships and the 420 Junior World Championships.