Lighter winds brought improved performances for both Irish 49er campaigns at French Olympic Sailing Week but not enough to secure a gold fleet (or top third of 72) berth in Hyeres.
Robert Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) with Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) (lying 31st) took third place in their opening race of the day. A tenth place followed in their second race though only after they lost a few places on the second last leg of the course.
Seafra Guilfoyle with Johnny Durcan (Royal Cork Yacht Club) (42nd) topped their qualification round with a fourth place but only after a 21st in the opening race of the day. A collision at the start of the race left them playing catch-up.
New Zealand’s Logan Dunning Beck & Oscar Gunn
New Zealand’s Logan Dunning Beck & Oscar Gunn, winners in Palma at the beginning of April, reclaimed the overall lead after winning their last race in yellow fleet. They overtook the leading USA boat, Ian Barrows & Hans Henken, who showed they are not just big wind specialists with 4, 6 finishes in the yellow fleet as others struggled around them.
The Dutch world champions Bart Lambriex & Floris van der Werken only slipped a place to third but finished 9, 11 in the blue fleet.
The other big risers were Australia’s Jim Colley & Shaun Connor (1, 2 in red fleet) and USA’s Kevin Snow & Mac Agnese, who won both blue fleet’s races to move into the top ten.
Results are here