#AnnaliseMurphy - She may have made her name as a Laser Radial sailor, coming so close to an Olympic medal in the class at London 2012, but it's the new moth class that makes Annalise Murphy love sailing today.

Murphy shares her passion for the foil with Yachts and Yachting on the second day of the Moth Worlds in Australia, where she joins fellow Rio 2016 contender Ryan Seaton and Howth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane in the Irish contingent.

And she describes the event as a "lifetime opportunity", saying that "it's so much fun to be able to go and race against all the legends of the sailing world... being able to race against guys who are Olympic medallists and America's Cup guys, I might never get to do that again."

But having sailed moths for just over a year, it's still an adjustment switching from the more easily handled Laser to the fast, twitchy foil - especially since she's using the same rig as the boys.

Yachts and Yachting has more on the story HERE.

#mothsailing – The National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy and Howth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane qualified for the Gold Fleet of the 2015 foiling Moth World Championships in Sorrento, Australia.

Consistent results on the second day of the regatta meant that both Murphy in 62nd place and Kissane in 70th are through but unfortunately Bangor's Olympian Ryan Seaton just missed the cut, qualifying for Silver Fleet in 82nd place.

As Afloat.ie reported earlier, the Irish crews are in celebrated company, with leaders including America's Cup syndicate campaigners such as Emirates Team New Zealand's Pete Burling, and Artemis Racing's Nathan Outerridge as well as other notables such as Tom Slingsby, Iain Jensen, Scott Babbage, Dean Barker and Ray Davies.

Speaking to reporters, Irish Olympic Radial sailor Murphy, said after day two:
"It was stressful conditions, pretty wavy on the downwinds and I also learnt how to pitch-pole less; in the first race I pitch-poled five times, in the second race only twice, in the third race only once and in the last race I didn't pitch-pole at all, so I was getting better each race with not trying to kill myself on the downwind. Stressful but a lot of fun!"

The top 79 of the 153 sailors make the 'cut' for the Gold Fleet following the second day of racing at Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club in Victoria.

New Zealand's Peter Burling reeled off four straight wins to take the lead on the 2nd day, sounding the warning bell for the other 159 competitors. With the fleet split into Blue and Yellow, Burling was in the Blue fleet on a course closer to shore. Defending world champion Nathan Outteridge (AUS) was in the Yellow on a course further out and on the receiving end of bumpier conditions and scored 3-2-2-1 results.

Ashore Burling said: "I won all four races – the last one by over a lap, which is pretty pleasing in this fleet. it's all come together here," he said referring to his disappointing results at the Worlds in 2011 and 2013. I did well in the light and shifty weather yesterday and today was as good. I put a lot of work into improving my game for this event. We were in flatter more manageable water than the Yellow fleet, but even so, I dropped off the foil at one stage and fell back to 11th, but I still got back and won. Everyone had a swim, or crashed or overtook," the 2012 Olympic 49er silver medallist said of the course, which was closer to the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, host for the event.

On Nathan Outteridge, Burling said: "Both of us have different commitments now – me with Emirates Team NZ and him with Artemis Racing (AC syndicates). We're still good mates, but things are slightly different now. He is my biggest challenge for this title, of course."

Full details here

#mothworlds – Three Irish sailors are among 165 set for tomorrow's McDougall + McConaghy 2015 International Moth World Championship to be sailed in Sorrento, Australia from 9-16 January, 2015, on Port Phillip. The fleet are chomping at the bit for some foiling action but like yesterday there is no racing at the Moth Australian Nationals, a pre–cursor to tomorrow's worlds. 

As Afloat reported last month, Howth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane, Bangor's Ryan Seaton and the National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy have made the journey for the foiling championships.

Among the top entries is defending world champion Nathan Outteridge. The NSW 2012 Olympic 49er gold medallist and America's Cup skipper for Artemis Racing will attempt to defend his title and in the process become one of the first world champions in the New Year.

Outteridge is well aware those he will race against are just as credentialed. Concentrating on his 2016 Olympic 49er campaign in Rio and the Worlds in Santander, he has also been flat out in his role as skipper for Artemis Racing in San Francisco these last few months.

"I actually haven't sailed my Moth at all since the 2014 Worlds in Hayling Island back in July," said the multi-skilled sailor.

More here

#moth – Three Irish dinghy sailors will join America's Cup stars, Olympic medallists and world champions among a record 150 plus sailors converging on Port Phillip, Australia next week when the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club (SSCBC) in Victoria hosts the McDougall + McConaghy 2015 Moth World Championship from 9-16 January, 2015.

Howth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane, Bangor's Ryan Seaton and the National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy are all making the journey for the foiling championships.

Earlier this year, Murphy won the Moth Ladies World title when the event was staged in Hayling Island in the UK. 

Defending Moth world champion and Artemis America's Cup helm, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), heads the line-up. Like so many others, Outteridge, the 2012 Olympic 49er gold medallist, will take on fellow crew and rivals from the Olympics and the America's Cup, among them his 49er medallist crew and fellow Artemis member, Iain 'Goobs' Jensen.

Other Artemis entries are Loick Peyron (FRA), who has four ORMA titles and a Transat win among his illustrious results, and 2008 Beijing Laser gold medallist Paul Goodison (GBR).

Intermingled with other big names are winning Oracle Team members Tom Slingsby (AUS), Philippe Presti (FRA), Rome Kirby (USA) and Joey Newton (AUS), while Emirates Team New Zealand boats Glenn Ashby (AUS) and Kiwis Dean Barker, Ray Davies, and Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, the 2012 Olympic 49er silver medallists.

Burling and Tuke are Outteridge and Jensen's rivals, and not just in the 49er, according to Tom Slingsby, who slates Burling as the biggest potential threat for the Moth world title.

"Peter Burling is the man to beat. I've been watching him, he's sailing really well and improving all the time," says Slingsby, the first Australian to be named ISAF World Sailor of the Year (2010) and Oracle strategist.

Slingsby is running himself ragged in the lead-up. Competing in the Moth class at Sail Sydney along with other Moth Worlds candidates, on Tuesday he will call tactics aboard Perpetual Loyal in the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour and in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. In between, the 30 year-old will skipper Oman Air in the Extreme Sailing Series from 11-14 December, but insists he is enjoying every minute.

"I had a break from sailing – I needed it. But now I'm enjoying all the opportunities that are coming my way," said Slingsby, a multiple world title holder in the Olympic Laser class and former Etchells world champion. "The Extreme is a great opportunity to sail with some of my Oracle crew and it will give me time on the water and practice for the Moth Worlds," he said.

"Realistically, there are 10-15 people who could win the Worlds. People are coming up with new twists all the time. The Moth is developing all the time, as can be seen with the foiling," explains the Terrigal sailor who with his Oracle team mates has been practicing on the home turf of Outteridge and Jensen at Wangi Wangi on the NSW Central Coast.

"I'm more local than they are now," he says laughing. "The Oracle guys have spent a bit of time there because the conditions are perfect for Moth sailing – it's quiet – there are no distractions, so we can concentrate on sailing."

Tornado Olympic medallist Glenn Ashby owns more world championship trophies across a broad range of multihull classes than anyone else. Leaving the woes of losing the America's Cup behind him, the Bendigo sailor commented: "it will be, without doubt, the single most high-performance regatta I've ever done.

"There'll be at least eight Olympic medallists, three Moth world champions and 15 America's Cup sailors," added sailmaker Ashby, who is already in Sorrento practicing regularly with Emirates Team NZ crew.

Bora Gulari, the 2013 Moth world champion returns this year after taking a year off. Since his win in Hawaii, the American has been training with the Luna Rossa America's Cup syndicate.

Missing in action will be America's Cup winning skipper, Jimmy Spithill, who is having his elbow operated on, but another Spithill will take his place. Younger brother Tom will try his luck in this fast-paced high-level foiling class and has also been putting in practice.

In the younger set too is 2012 Moth world champion, Josh McKnight (AUS), who has to be considered a threat after winning the title at his first Worlds. He was also crowned the 2013 NSW Moth title and in July, won the Open Italian Moth Championship.

Women have thrown their hats in the 'Moth sphere' too, notably local sailor, Sam England. The 2011 Moth Worlds Women's winner is training hard to bring the trophy home again. Multi-skilled Wakako Tabata, 470 Women's Japanese representative at the 2012 Olympics, also competes in the Laser Radial and Mixed Nacra 17, while Annalise Murphy (IRE) finished fourth at the 2012 Olympics in the Laser Radial.

A huge thanks to @EtihadAirways for getting me and my boat all checked in and on our way to Melbourne for @mothworlds pic.twitter.com/84W9B8s13J

— Annalise Murphy (@Annalise_Murphy) December 26, 2014

Japan, Great Britain, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, USA, South Africa, New Zealand, Austria, Hong Kong, France, Ireland, Sweden and Australia are all well represented.

It is not the first time that SSCBC, located in the pretty seaside holiday destination of Sorrento, has hosted a major event; numerous competitors are familiar with the waters having contested the 49er Worlds here in 2008.

"The Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club enjoys a first-class reputation for managing and running major sailing events," Andrew Plympton, SSCBC's Commodore commented. "And we're looking forward to welcoming everyone here. Already Glenn Ashby and others from Emirates Team New Zealand are training here," he said.

"The McDougall + McConaghy Moth Worlds will be the centre of attention during our typically busy January period and 10 days of sea breeze, sunshine and flat seas have been ordered.

"Planning with the Moth Association and our club started some two years ago," he said of the event organised by SSCBC in conjunction with the International Moth Class Association.

Co-sponsor of the Moth Worlds, McConaghy's Jono Morris said: "McConaghy Boats has had an enduring association with the Moth class. As foiling started to become the norm for the fleet, we started to work with Andrew McDougall on the Bladerider project when we set up in China in 2006. Between 2006 and 2008, we built around 300 Bladeriders together.

"In 2008 we launched the Mach2, which took everything we had learned collectively from the Bladerider and improved it in every respect. Today, we've built over 500 Mach 2's, combined with 300 Bladeriders; that's 800 hydrofoiling moths and counting," he said.

McDougall is also a stalwart sailor of the class and will have his work cut out taking on the younger guns in the fleet. "I'm realistic. A top ten finish would make me proud. I no longer have a serious speed advantage over the fleet, because they've got the gear I developed, so it's a more even playing field now."

Spectators can catch a glimpse of what is to come when the SSCBC hosts a round of the Victorian Moth Grand Prix sponsored by KA Sails this weekend and the McDougall + McConaghy Moth Australian Championship ahead of the Worlds from 6-8 January. Those keen to go on the water to view the Worlds can register their interest with Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club.

#mothsailing – Irish sailing superstar Annalise Murphy was Moth sailing at the weekend, participating in the latest round of the Irish Moth circuit at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. A combination of high speed video action from a chasing RIB plus and onboard shots shows how the Laser ace also had the skills to win the Women's World Moth champs at Hayling Island in the UK in August. 

A live crowd of thousands and a worldwide TV audience watched the Laser and Laser Radial fleets conclude racing at the Santander 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships with Dutch dominance afoot. Unfortunately there was no Irish participation as both James Espey and Annalise Muprhy, although gold fleet racers, did not make the medal race cut.

Marit Bouwmeester (NED) took a ten point lead into the Laser Radial Medal Race and finished third to seal the deal with Josefin Olsson (SWE) taking silver and Evi Van Acker (BEL) picking up bronze.

Nicholas Heiner (NED) dominated the Laser Medal Race as he emphatically sealed the world championship title. Tom Burton (AUS) had to settle for silver whilst Nick Thompson (GBR) takes bronze.

Laser Radial

The Laser Radial fleet were first away on the Medal Race course at 13:15 local time. In a gusting southerly 20 knot wind blowing straight on to the stadium breakwater Evi Van Acker (BEL) won the start at the committee boat and was one of the first to tack off to the starboard side of the course.

Meanwhile Marit Bouwmeester (NED) went for speed off the start and sailed off more to the left before crossing to the right hand side. Van Acker led Mathilde de Kerangat (FRA) and Alison Young (GBR) round the first mark with Bouwmeester 20 seconds behind in fourth. The backwash from the spectator breakwater was causing some awkward waves on the downwind leg but all 4 boats got to the halfway point of the 30 minute race without incident. The second upwind was all about change. Acker led a group to the left whilst Bouwmeester played the middle to right won. Defending champion, Tina Mihelic (CRO), was best placed to take advantage of a right hand shift and she jumped from eighth to first.

Van Acker failed to cover the right hand side of the course and paid a high price dropping to eighth on the next rounding of the windward mark, one place behind Young. Bouwmeester maintained her fourth place which was all she had to win the title. In fact she gained a place on the downwind leg to the finish third to regain the title she won at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Australia.

In amongst a crowd of Dutch press and TV Bouwmeester said, "I am really happy to come away with a win. I had a good start with a good back swell. It was kind of tricky on the first upwind. I wanted to go right but didn't quite make it. I was happy with my second upwind. I tried to defend a little watching the girls on the left but it was tricky. The back swell was awesome."

Laser

At the start Nick Thompson (GBR) won the committee boat end above Phillipp Buhl (GER) and Nick Heiner (NED). Further down the line defending champion, Robert Scheidt (BRA) powered off the line and tacked on small shift to pass behind all the boats that were to windward of him. It got him to the favoured side of the course and when he tacked back he had moved up to fifth which he turned into fourth rounding the first mark behind New Zealander Sam Meech, Heiner and Buhl.

Overnight leader, Tom Burton (AUS), stuck to the left hand side of the first windward leg and struggled to get across to the favoured right and as a result rounded last with championship title slipping through his hands.

Heiner took his chance and held his second place on the downwind leg before finding an extra gear, pulling out a one minute lead on the next upwind whist those behind "played mix the places" in the shifting conditions. After that Heiner only had to navigate the back wash downwind and finish to take the title which in spite of a scary roll as a gust hit just before the finish. Thompson had worked his way up to fifth in the race and second overall before he got caught in a backwash wave on a gybe just before a tight finish. In a close fleet the stall was enough to drop him to eighth place behind Burton in seventh and drop him to third overall with Burton taking the runner up position.

After racing Heiner said, "Going out to the race I knew it was going to be a battle between the five us so I just wanted to give it everything I could and do my best. I wasn't nervous. I was really keen to get racing. The start was difficult. I had a lane but it was really a case of who got the first wave off the break water. It took me a little time to find my rythym I struggled a bit on some chop but half way up the first beat I found it. Pretty much after that I got going.

"When I went round the downwind mark I look around and pretty sure the next shift was coming from the right. I found a nice set of waves on the right with some pressure and then pretty much planed up wind for half of the beat. It was awesome."

Laser and Laser Radial Reports courtesy of Jeff Martin, International Laser Class Association

#Santander2014 - Annalise Murphy became the second sailor to qualify Ireland for the 2016 Olympics on Day 6 of the 2014 ISAF Worlds in Santander, placing 20th overall and 16th on the nations table - well within the top 19 that earned their country the chance compete in Rio.

“I started the regatta pretty badly so it was difficult to back out on the second day and make Gold Fleet," she said after the day's racing. "But I had a really good day and then continued to claw my way back up the fleet."

She continued: “My primary goal for competing here was to win a medal but my secondary goal was to qualify to county. Unfortunately I didn’t quite reach my first goal but it’s great to have been able to qualify Ireland in the Laser Radial.”

The 23-year-old from Rathfarnham had a mixed performance in Santander, the first Olympic qualifier where half of all places in Rio were awarded. Her results ranged from a fifth to a 43rd in what were light conditions for the majority of the regatta.

Today (Wednesday 17 September) was the final day of racing and the final chance for Murphy to qualify. Overnight she was 28th individually and 21st nation so everything hinged on her performance in today’s scheduled three races.

The wind had arrived by this morning, averaging about 20 knots. With no room for error, Murphy went straight to the top the fleet in the first race of the day. Neck-and-neck with the world’s best, she crossed the finish line in 13th place – exactly what she needed boosting her up to 20th overall and 16th nation.

Two further races had been scheduled but at 6.05pm local time the decision was made to cancel due to the lack of wind.

ISA high performance director James O’Callaghan said of her achievement: “While the overall result was not her best, you can’t but be impressed with the way Annalise fought back after a disastrous first day. We are delighted with nation qualification."

Elsewhere, there was a sense of déjà vu for Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern in the 49er. The pair had been reseeded to the Yellow Fleet but matched yesterday’s results with a 2nd and a 15th.

One further race will have to be sailed tomorrow by the Blue Fleet in order to make a qualifying series. At that time the overall positions will be known and the Gold and Silver Fleet cut will be made.

The 20-knot breeze in the early afternoon caused plenty of drama for Ireland’s 49erFX pair Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey, who broke their mast before the first race of the day had even begun.

They raced ashore where real sportsmanship quickly became apparent. Team USA and Ireland teammates Seaton and McGovern, as well as numerous others, rushed to their assistance.

Within moments they had replaced their mast and were making their way back out to the race course. Within that time the race had been riddled with capsizes and was ultimately abandoned, which meant no penalty for the girls.

The FX fleets then had one race apiece in the afternoon. Brewster and Tidey finished 14th and now lie 35th overall. They’ll have two more qualifying races tomorrow before they separate into Gold and Silver.

There was only one final fleet race today for Ireland's other Olympic qualified sailor James Espey and the Laser Standard Gold Fleet. He finished 44th in Race 8 and 38th overall.

Meanwhile, Finn Lynch and the Laser Bronze Fleet had no racing again today for their final day of the regatta. Lynch finishes his first Laser Standard World Championship in 101st place out of 147 sailors – no mean feat for the 18-year-old who only graduated to this highly competitive senior class earlier this year.

In the Finn class, Ross Hamilton sailed three races today, placing 33rd, 32nd and 30th, leaving him 64th overall and qualifying for the Silver Fleet for the rest of the championship. Racing will continue for the Finn class until 21 September.

#santander2014 – Belfast's James Espey is the first Irish sailor to qualify for the Rio Olympics following a fine light air performance again in Santander today when the 30–year–old Ulster man qualified for Gold Fleet racing at next week's ISAF World Cup, finshing 32nd overall, well within the top 49 cut to qualify for Rio 2016.

In further good news for the Irish team, Annalise Murphy recovered from a disappointing opening day in 86th overall yesterday in the Womens Radial division to be 58th overall after a nine and seven scored today. The result is just inside the top 60 to qualify for gold fleet racing and crucially stays on course for a Rio place next week.

Only two days into the six-day regatta and Espey has qualified for the Gold fleet in the Laser Standard class. With 22 nations being represented in the Gold fleet but a total of 23 nation places available Espey has now guaranteed Ireland a spot in Rio.

Today was an important day for the Irish Laser sailors competing at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander, Spain. James Espey, Annalise Murphy and Finn Lynch each had two fleet races to sail before the Gold, Silver and Bronze splits were decided for the remainder of the regatta.

The men's Laser Standard Blue fleet had a general recall in Race 3 which delayed proceedings slightly. However a successful second attempt saw the 49 boats get a clear start over the line at 14.10. James Espey finished 33rd to sit comfortably in the top third of the 150 boat fleet in 38th. Finn Lynch finished 27th moving him up to 100th overall.

Race 4 got underway at 17.15 and Espey had another solid performance. His 15th saw him climb to 40th overall and within the top 49 which qualified him for the Gold fleet and as only 22 nations will be represented in the Gold fleet Espey has now guaranteed Ireland a spot in Rio.

Finn Lynch finished 29th, dropped one place to 101st and will now compete within the Bronze fleet.

Race 3 got underway at 13.35 CEST for Annalise Murphy and the Laser Radial Blue fleet, in light conditions. Yesterday Murphy struggled to get off the line, but today she had a great start and was free to make good tactical decisions. Drastically improving on her previous performance, Murphy finished 9th to jump up the leader board from 86th to 58th.

The female Laser competitors then had a long and frustrating wait on the water as they watched the wind completely die off. An attempt at a second race was made at 14.55 but abandoned 15 minutes later when the wind dropped to 2 knots. At 17.15 the breeze filled in to between 7-10 knots and Race 4 finally got underway. Murphy pulled in another top 10 result, finishing 7th to leap even further up the leader board to 41st overall and guaranteeing her the all-important place in the top 60 boat Gold fleet so stays in the hunt for a Rio place this week.

With 50% of Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition spots available at the Santander 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships, the fight for positions is tight, tense and tough.

After a four race qualification series, the 23 Laser places on offer at Santander 2014 have been picked up as the fleet divides up into gold, silver and bronze packs.

Twenty four nations make up the 49-boat Santander 2014 Laser gold fleet but with Brazil automatically receiving a spot as host nation the 23 Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition places available at Santander 2014 have been decided:

Laser

Australia
Belgium
Canada
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Finland
France
Ireland
Italy
Germany
Guatemala
Great Britain
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Singapore
Sweden
Poland
Portugal
Tunisia
USA
U.S. Virgin Islands

The next opportunity for Laser qualification will come at the 2015 Laser World Championship where nine places will be on offer. Two places are set to be awarded at each of the 2015/2016 African, Asian, European, North American and South American Continental Qualification Events. A single place will be available at the 2015/2016 Oceanic Continental qualification Event whilst Brazil, as host automatically receives a spot. Two final places will be awarded via Tripartite Commission Invitation places.

The qualification series has concluded in the Laser Radial but with 33 nations making the gold fleet and 19 Rio 2016 places available the fight will go on for three days of final series racing.

Click for the Rio 2016 Olympic Qualification System

Schedule of Racing:

12-18 September, Laser and Laser Radial
13-19 September, RS:X Men and RS:X Women
14-20 September, 470 Men and 470 Women
15-21 September, 49er, 49erFX, Finn and Nacra 17

#santander2014 – Ireland's Olympic Laser sailors were first into battle today at the ISAF World Championships in Santander, Northern Spain for an event that has as its prize Olympic selection for up to eight Irish sailors in five of ten disciplines.

Belfast Lough's James Espey was best of the Irish with a solid sixth and 16th to be placed 26th after the first rounds, and certainly on course for Rio qualification. 18–year–old Finn Lynch, who is current U19 Laser World Champion, finished 27th in his first race but took a 43rd in the second to be 109th after two.

Disapppointingly, Annalise Murphy opened her world championship account with two poor results dropping her to 86th overall, leaving her a big job to recover in the last two preliminary rounds tomorrow.

More here from David O'Brien in the Irish Times.

The thick fog that covered the harbour in Santander at the start of the day soon burnt off and gave way to a light 5 to 7 knot breeze from the north east allowing the Laser and Laser Radial Fleets to get afloat and start the Santander 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

After a delay ashore there was a further postponement afloat waiting for the wind to fill before the start of the four race qualification series.

Laser Radial

The 120 boat Women's Laser Radial Fleet is split into two groups of 60, each scoring points from 1 to 60. In this size fleet a good start is critical especially as the right hand side of the course was favoured and in the lighter conditions boat speeds are similar. Those sailors that were able to put together two single figure results were guaranteed a place in the top ten whilst others were having death and glory results not necessarily in that order.

Veronika Fenclova (CZE) had a big smile on her face as she explained, "In the first race I had a good start and led at the first mark but I could not hold my position downwind and dropped to third even though we did change places several times before the finish." In the second race she led from start to finish, "I had a good lead which protected me on the downwind." Fenclova's results were better than she expected as she has had a year off from sailing although she has been training hard for a month at Santander prior to the championship.

Min Gu from China is already looking like a worthy successor to the retired Olympic Champion Lijia Xu as she shares the same points with Fenclova at the top of the pack.

Laser

In the record 76 nation Men's Laser fleet, sailing on a nearby course to the women, the story was much the same with Juan Maegli from Guatamala scoring exactly the same as Fenclova. He said "I had two good starts and went right both times. I had good speed and concentrated on trying to be consistent."

He has created a four point gap over second place Tom Burton (AUS) who scored a fifth and third.

Defending champion Robert Scheidt BRA saw his fellow countryman Bruno Fontes finish four places ahead of him but he has been around enough to know that there is still a long way to go in this event, "I did not get far enough right for the shift. I struggled to catch up and could only get back to 13th. I was happy to finish second in the next race."

Two more races are scheduled for tomorrow to conclude the qualification series before the fleet is split into a gold, silver and bronze. A final six race series will be followed by a Medal Race.

Full results here

#isafsantander – The game will be wide open in the Laser and Laser Radial at the Santander 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championship with large numbers gunning for World Championship glory and a Rio 2016 Olympic place. Ireland takes its place on the Laser start line with newly crowned national champion James Espey and Finn Lynch seeking Rio qualification while Annalise Murphy is aiming for Laser Radial qualification in just under two weeks time.

Seventy two nations featuring 150 sailors will compete in the Laser fleet whilst 58 nations will sail in the 120-boat Laser Radial fleet. Both fleets will kick start racing in Santander on Friday 12 September.

Santander 2014 acts as the first qualification regatta for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition. Twenty three Laser and 19 Laser Radial nation spots are there for the taking which will make for tight and fierce competition on the Bay of Biscay.

Brazil's Robert Scheidt heads to Santander as the defending champion having taken his ninth Laser world title at the 2013 class World Championship in Al Mussanah, Oman. Since returning to the Laser in March 2013 Scheidt has picked up where he left off, racing at the front of the pack.

Throughout the 2013-2014 ISAF Sailing World Cup series Scheidt has continually been at the top of the leaderboard with silver in Miami, a ninth in Mallorca and a fourth in Hyeres to his name. With a tenth Laser world title in sight the Brazilian is excited to head onto the Santander race track, "It's going to be a huge regatta and I've never sailed there but I've heard it's very challenging with different courses with different conditions so I'm really looking forward to it.

"We know it's not going to be easy. The Laser is a very tough and demanding boat and there are a lot of good guys at the moment pushing very hard. I think I'll have my chances so I'll go there and play the game."

For the Brazilian sailors across the ten Olympic fleets the pressure to qualify for Rio 2016 is off with the host nation automatically receiving one spot in each event. For the Brazilian Laser sailors, Scheidt, Bruno Fontes and Alex Veeren it is a weight off their shoulders with all efforts and focus channelled towards top finishes, "We don't have to make a good result at the worlds but at the end of the day when you go to a regatta you always go to try and win regardless of the qualification system. A lot of the good guys already know that they're going to take a spot and do the best they can," concluded Scheidt.

Australia's Tom Burton heads into Santander as the man in form and the one to beat. Burton has amassed three consecutive race victories in highly competitive fields. He took ISAF Sailing World Cup Mallorca and Hyeres gold before winning on Rio 2016 Olympic waters at the first test event, Aquece Rio International Sailing Regatta 2014 in August.

After a ninth at the last World Championship Burton has his eyes on the prize in the Spanish city, "Going into Oman the goal was to win the Worlds and I was pretty disappointed with how I went and the result there. Santander, definitely, I want to win the worlds. A few years back I was thinking, 'yeah win the worlds that would be pretty good', I was young and time is moving on so it's now time to start winning."

Burton has five World Championship appearances under his belt, building up knowledge and experience and he knows that in the competitive field anyone, on their day, can strike gold, "Robert will always be tough to beat at the worlds. For myself the worlds is a step up and only happens once a year so it's tough to get the experience of that atmosphere but Robert's been there so many times, won it so many times it's probably a little bit more chilled for him.

"Tonci's [Stipanovic (CRO)] been the most on form this season and I think he's got his Olympic trials there so he's putting in a bit more effort into it. The usual guys will be up there. Tonci, Robert, Rutger [Van Schaardenburg (NED)] and the Kiwis but it depends who's on form throughout the week. Anyone in the top 20 in the world could be really having a good week and be at the front."

All of the world's top 25 sailors in the Laser will sail in Santander with World #1 Stipanovic, World #2 Nick Thompson (GBR) and World #3 Pavlos Kontides (CYP) coming in with good form and aiming to take gold.

Competition in the 120 boat Laser Radial fleet will be fierce with any sailor who brings their A-game capable of taking gold.

Throughout the 2013-2014 ISAF Sailing World Cup series there were separate winners' at all five regattas. Dongshuang Zhang (CHN) took gold on her home waters in Qingdao, Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR) claimed the Melbourne honours, Paige Railey (USA) defended her Miami title, Marit Bouwmeester (NED) dominated the Mallorca field and Evi Van Acker (BEL) stormed to Hyeres gold.

All will be in contention in Santander but several other contenders will be full to the brim with confidence and optimism ahead of racing inlcuding Ireland's Annalise, fourth in the 2012 Olympics and European champion in 2013.

Denmark's Anne-Marie Rindom has consistently been at the front of the pack in the Laser Radial over the last 12 months yet lacked a major title. Her breakthrough came at the Aquece Rio International Sailing Regatta 2014, the Rio 2016 Test Event, where she took gold in a world class field.

With Rio gold behind her Rindom is full of positivity going into Santander, "It's good to win before the World's next month," said the Dane after racing in Rio, "It's a good signal that you can sail at the Olympic venue.

"Top ten in Santander will be really good because then we will have funding for next year and that's the most important thing. Also it is important to get a national place for the Olympics, that will be really good but I'm also going for a medal now I know I can do it. I am looking forward to it."

At the Rio Test Event the Radial fleet were pushed to the max with big waves and plenty of breeze on the race courses outside of Guanabara Bay. The conditions were not too dissimilar to those expected on the race courses in Santander with the Bay of Biscay famous for big swell.

Ireland's Annalise Murphy thrived in the big conditions in Rio and goes into the ISAF Worlds eager, "I was in Santander training just before I came here [Rio Test Event] and it's a really nice place to sail. Again there's really big waves so maybe being here will help a little bit.

"I want to go and have a good event and qualify the country for the Olympics and try and race well. I'm looking forward to it, it's a big world championship and it's my goal of the year and I can't wait.

"If I can sail well and race well I want to try and be at the top of the fleet and kind of see how it goes. I've been pretty up and down this year but I'm going to try and do the simple stuff right and hopefully the results will come. It's going to be a really good event and really competitive."

Croatia's Tina Mihelic won gold at the 2013 Laser Radial World Championship in Rizhao, China and will aim to defend her title in Santander. Further contenders for the podium positions will be 2014 European Champion Svenja Weger (GER), Alison Young (GBR) and World #6 Tuula Tenkanen (FIN).

The Laser and Laser Radial fleets will be the first to commence racing in Santander and will take to the water on Friday 12 September for two races. The Qualification Series will conclude on 13 September with four races deciding the gold, silver and bronze fleets.

Final series racing will start on 14 September with 15 September a reserve day. Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 will see the Medal Race places decided before the finale on Thursday 18 September where the medallists will be decided.