The pressure might be off Annalise Murphy at the 2011 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, but Afloat.ie's Sailor of the month for May, insists she isn't taking her foot off the pedal writes Ben Baker. 

While hundreds of other boats fight tooth and nail to get their foot in the door for a London 2012 place at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, Murphy can rest safe in the knowledge that she will be there as she is the only Irish representative in the Laser Radial class.

But despite ploughing a lonely furrow on England's south coast, the 21-year-old is making sure people sit up and take notice – sitting 15th overall with finishes of first, second and fourth to put a nightmare opening race placing of 33rd firmly behind her.

And with Sail for Gold taking place on the same waters as London 2012, Murphy is delighted to get some inside knowledge ahead of her biggest challenge in just over a year's time.

"This is the Irish trials but it's not so important for me because I'm the only one," said Murphy.
"It takes a lot of pressure of because, for most countries the national trials mean they are worrying about where the other people they are sailing against are in races.

"I don't have anything to worry about, I'm just going out and enjoying myself and not getting caught up in it.
"It's really important to get used to the venue and being here gives you an idea of what it is going to be like next year.

"It's pretty scary that they are happening so soon but hopefully I'll be as prepared as possible for it."

 

The entries for the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta 2011, the London 2012 Test Event, have been received with 460 sailors making up the 331 teams who are set to sail at the venue of the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Ireland has entered six boats.

Sixty six MNAs have submitted entries for the regatta which takes place from 29 July to 11 August with Australia, Spain, France, Great Britain, New Zealand and USA sending sailors in all ten of the Olympic Sailing Events.

Since the 1900 Paris Olympic Sailing Competition the nations sending their full quota of athletes have won a combined total of 192 Olympic Medals with 80 of them gold. And their pursuit for Olympic Sailing glory is as high as it's ever been with the places expected to go to their best national sailors.

MNAs, who have been restricted to one entry per event depending on the quota, do not have to confirm the names of the sailors they will be sending to the Olympic Test Event until Thursday 23 June. But with trials well underway and continuing at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, the sixth ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta, from 6-11 June, there will be some experienced sailors on Weymouth waters ahead of London 2012.

The Laser has received the most entries with 57 nations confirming places. Among some of the bigger nations entries have also been received from the Cook Islands, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Panama, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.

During the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition there will be 48 nations represented in the Laser, so sailors will be keen to prove their worth ahead of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in December, where sailors compete to register their nation for the Olympic Games.

With a quota of 42 in the Men's RS:X, 35 entries have been received. A second entry for MNAs may be granted by ISAF based on the order of each MNAs second highest appearance on the ISAF World Rankings as of 30 June 2011. Meanwhile in the Women's RS:X 33 nations will be represented with only one entry per MNA allowed.

There have been 18 entries into the Women's Match Racing competition. This will be cut down to 12 after Kieler-Woche, the final ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta, with the highest ranked competitors from each nation granted a spot.

In the 470 class the Men's fleet has 35 entries whilst the Women have 26. The Finn received 27 entries, the 49er has 25 and the Star class has 25.

After last weekend's Sailing World Cup Regatta in Medemblik, Holland the Irish Olympic sailing squad is back on the water in five days time for the next round of the Cup, this time at the 2012 Olympic venue itself and the Skandia 'Sail for Gold' Regatta in Weymouth.

Expectations are high that Ireland can be in the medals in England not least because Ireland qualifed for three medal races last week and last year Peter O'Leary won Gold in the Star class in Weymouth.

Over 1,000 sailors, including a number of World and Olympic champions, will be competing in Weymouth, Great Britain, the venue of the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Great Britain's Ben Ainslie, Giles Scott and Ed Wright have dominated the Finn class during the 2010-2011 ISAF Sailing World Cup.

The British trio have been at the top of the podium on every occasion. Ainslie won Sail Melbourne, Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE and the Semaine Olympique Française, Scott won US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR and Wright won the Delta Lloyd Regatta last week.

But it is Ainslie who leads the Finn Standings on 79 points ahead of Scott, on 71, and Wright on 66. All three will sail in Weymouth alongside some equally impressive sailors in the form of the World #1 Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO), World #2 Zach Railey and Spain's Rafael Trujillo.

However it is hard to see anyone defeating the Brits who have dominated the class since the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup in 2008-2009 which has seen Wright crowned ISAF Sailing World Cup Finn Champion on two occasions.

Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS) reclaimed the top spot in the Men's 470 Standings after clinching gold at the Delta Lloyd Regatta. The World #1 Australians have a 17 point lead over Panagiotis Kambouridis and Efstathios Papadopoulos (GRE) in second. World #5 sailors Pierre Leboucher and Vincent Garos (FRA) trail the Australians by 18 points in third.

The top three will all sail in Weymouth but it is a tough ask for anyone to overhaul Belcher and Page who have a strong lead with just two ISAF Sailing World Cup Regattas remaining.

Eight points separate the top five in the Women's 470 ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings.

Despite not sailing in Medemblik, Penny Clark and Katrina Hughes (GBR) retained their lead at the top of the Standings on 54 points. But Delta Lloyd Regatta runners up Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata (JPN) trail the Brits by three points and will look to make up the ground on the World #3 pair at Skandia Sail for Gold.

Marit Bouwmeester (NED) and Evi Van Acker (BEL) are tied at the top of the Laser Radial Standings on 69 points each. They will renew their rivalry in Weymouth but with the top ten in the Standings all set to compete, and the third place Veronika Fenclova (CZE) within touching distance of the leaders the gold medal is far from a foregone conclusion.

The 2011 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta will also welcome the top ten in the Laser Standings. The standout performer this year has been Tom Slingsby (AUS) who has been on the podium in the four ISAF Sailing World Cup Regattas he has sailed in. He has a 14 point lead over Javier Hernandez (ESP) in second and a 20 point lead over Nick Thompson (GBR) in third.

In the Paralympic classes the top three in the 2.4mR, SKUD-18 and Sonar ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings will compete.

Racing begins at the 2011 Skandia Sail for Gold on 6 June and will run until 11 June.

Raging Bull charged back to the top of the ISORA fleet in a race across the Irish Sea. The offshore focus now is on the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race. Adam Hyland won the Oppy Leinsters and visiting Kinsale sailors took the Dragon Easterns, both events were held on Dublin Bay. Dick Dastardly won Class 2 at the same venue in DBSC's Saturday race. Abroad Irish Olympic hopes were making the headlines at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Holland but no medals just yet.

Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary is racing at the Scottish Series and better weather is promised tomorrow. ICRA has arranged craneage for next month's national championships and there are less than two weeks to the first gun of the Fireball World Championships in Sligo. 58 are entrered from nine countries.

All this and much more in Monday's Afloat ebulletin. Direct to your inbox  Sign up here for free. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!

 Barry Hurley and Mick Liddy prepare for the ISORA start in Wales on Saturday. More photos by Cathy Mullan on our ISORA post here

 

Strong winds and the chance of a podium finish required more than Dutch courage for three of Ireland's top flight Olympic crews in the closing stages of the Delta Lloyd regatta at the weekend. Ireland's Star keelboat, Laser Radial and 49er sailors produced medal race results in a week where Irish crews made the headlines and all for the right reasons.

Olympic Sailing Latest here,

Except for two false starts for Annalise Murphy on Friday – which in all probablility cost a medal – the week ended with some stellar performances from an Irish squad of 13.

This morning to cap it all off Ireland's 49er pairing Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern won the medal race moving them to fifth overall, their best Olympic campaign result to date. This plus the fourth overall scored in the Star Class and the Laser Radial performance that included five race wins are being held out as performances that give great hope for next year's Olympic Games regatta in Weymouth.

Royal Cork's Peter O' Leary and crew David Burrows from Malahide YC have finished fourth overall in the Star class at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Holland which concludes today.

The regatta also doubled as an Olympic trial for Ireland and the Dublin-Cork combination have scored an important first blow against rivals Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks of the Royal St. George Yacht Club who finished 12th overall.

O'Leary and Burrows made it into the top ten for yesterday's medal race as expected and finished the Delta Lloyd regatta fourth overall, a result in the top class fleet that compares well with last year's sailnig highlight, the win at Weymouth Sail for Gold Regatta.

In the Laser Radial, sole Irish campaigner Annalise Murphy finished ninth from a fleet of 63, but regardless of qualifying for the medal race, (a feat not achieved in Palma in April), there is regret that had it not been for 'Black Friday', the 21-year old National Yacht Club dinghy sailor would have been in the medals.

In the 49er class Irish duo Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern won this morning's 49er high performance dinghy medal race. The impressive win moves the Irish pair to fifth overall.

With six medals each, the Dutch and the Australians are claiming most medals with Holland taking four Golds in the 2.4, Women 470, Laser radial and Women Match Racing.

The first medal race saw the 49ers creating the show with the top four boats battling for the medals in windy conditions.

The wind was shifty and gusty with places changing constantly. The new Zealanders took the control of the small fleet at the first bottom mark and were in Silver medal position but a capsize after rounding the top mark again cost them the second position overall. The chase between the Australians Outteridge/Jensen and the British leaders Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes, was a race within the race. The Irish Ryan Seaton and Matthew McGovern won the medal race and with the Australians finishing in fourth, only two places in front of the leaders, it was not enough for them to take Gold. Morrison/Rhodes (GBR) take the Gold with the defending champions, Outteridge/Jensen in Silver and the unlucky New-Zealanders in third.

“It was tight out there, the Australians did well in the breeze. It was close racing with lots of shifts and it was important for us to avoid penalties so keep far enough but not too much.” commented Stevie Morrison soon after crossing the line.

The Finns saw a tight race and a second Gold medal for Great Britain. World Champion Ed Wright and regatta leader Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic started off with a dual between the leaders. On the run, Ed Wright sailed away and created the gap with the Croat. Wright needed to have a boat between himself and the World #1.

Pieter Jan Postma picked up some good pressure and passed Gaspic, giving at the same time the Gold medal to Ed Wrigtht who won the Medal race by a large margin. The Brit joins his compatriots, Ben Ainslie and Giles Scott on the third step of the Sailing World Cup podium.

“It was exciting to go out there this morning. I saw my friends win the 49ers and it was inspiring! I love these conditions and I was quite confident but you never know with the medal race. I van sailed really well this week and it was hard job to win this event.” declared Ed Wright (GBR).

Young Canadian Greg Douglas, have sailed today his first medal race. The 20 years old who competed in the last Olympics in the Laser for Barbados, vow that there will be more to come. “Medal race is very intense. The start was impressive with everybody 100% to take early advantage; it was tough.”

Laser and Laser radial defending champions retain their title in the 2011 Delta Lloyd regatta.

Tom Slingsby (AUS) offers a second Gold to Australians and defend his title in Medemblik. Despite a slow start into the Medal race, Slingsby caught up to speed, to finish in fourth place.

Milan Vujasinovic (CRO) won the medal race with Bruno Fontes (BRA) close behind in second.

The Brazilian conserves his silver medal and Roelof Bouwmeester (NED) Bronze.

“In australia we like wind and waves! I often perform well here. I won last year and other years as well. I like Medemblik, I feel comfortable here.”

The ISAF Sailor of the year was out of pace on the first beat but came up closer to his opponents: “I struggled to find rhythm in the shifts on the first beat but found my pace later in the race.”

A fourth place in the Medal race secured Gold for Marit Bouwmeester (NED) who retains her title.

Evi Van Acker takes her third medal in the 2011 Sailing world cup circuit. After a Bronze in the Rolex Miami OCR and a Silver in Palma; the Belgium takes Silver in Medemblik.

Xu Lija (CHN) who started the medal race in third position overall, went from leading the medal race to the 9th place, after a capsize that ended her chance for medal. A sixth place for Tina Mihelic (CRO) is enough for the Croat to take Bronze.

The podium remains unchanged in the RS:X men division after a windy medal race. Early leader Taehoon Lee displayed his strong skills in the breeze to take the medal race and his first Sailing World Cup title. First podium also for Canadian Zachary Plavsic who takes Silver. Second in Melbourne last December, Wang Aichen (CHN) takes the Bronze in the Delta Lloyd Regatta.

The wind had picked up when the RS:X women started their medal race. The strong breeze and waves proved tricky at times and provided many capsizes. Among them early leader Mayaan Davidovich (ISR) couldn't recover to finish the race and misses all chance for medal. Li Ling (CHN) who had started the day in second position, wins the Medal race by a big margin to claim the title. This is the first Sailing World Cup podium for Li Ling who placed fourth in Sail Melbourne last December.

Two Australians complete the RS:X women podium. Veteran windsurfer, Jessica Crisp is taking her third Silver medal in Medemblik. The previous ones in 2004 and 2007 were taken in the Mistral raceboard. She is six points from Allison Shreeve (AUS) who takes Bronze medal.

The 2.4 sailed a last race on Sunday. Thierry Schmitter (NED) won all the races in the series. “This has never happened to me! Of course I am really happy but not sure if it is due to my skills or the competition.” One of his main opponent, Damien Seguin (FRA) missed the Delta Lloyd regatta as he was participating in an Ocean race in Normandy.

Megan Pascoe (GBR)is taking Silver after posting a 3rd in the last race. Andre Rademaker (NED) is in 3rd overall.

Team Tunnicliffe (USA) wins the Women Match racing Petite Finale against Wang (CHN) 2-0.

The actions and drama came from the finals in the Women Match racing opposing Groeneveld (NED) and Lehtinen (FIN).

After Groeneveld (NED) won the first match with a tight finish the wind increased for the second match, a huge gust came and the Dutch boat nose dived, sending the two crew flying overboard. This was the end of the second race for the Dutch who had also ripped their jib. The Finnish won the second match and all was to be played in the last.

The wind had already increased to over 30 knots when the last decisive match started. The Finnish covered the Dutch during the first two rounds when finally the Dutch could move away and went down the run on their own. A powerful gust propelled Groeneveld team towards the finish line and allowed them to pass the Finnish a mere seconds before the line.

The Olympic sailing world is now moving to Weymouth to prepare for the 6th Sailing World Cup event, staged on the Olympic arena from the 5th to the 11th of June.

Irish Laser Radial ace Annalise Murphy gave the perfect response to 'Black Friday' bouncing back with two race wins as the breeeze in Medemlbik hit 30 knots today. In the Star keelboat class Ireland's Peter O'Leary and David Burrows are in sixth place and still in with a shout at the podium tomorrow. They have also built a cushion of 34 points between them and rivals for next year's Olympic slot, Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks in 12th place.

The penultimate day into the Delta Lloyd Regatta was a long sailing day with delays and late racing. With wind quickly increasing to 28 knots and steep waves causing casualties, only one race was sailed in the Laser, 470 Men and Star. The Laser radial managed to finish two races, ending with marginal breeze strength of 30 knots. The RS:X men enjoyed the planning conditions with two more races. They are the only class to complete their schedule. The Women Match racing saw the completion of the quarter finals and the semi-finals are under way.

Delta Lloyd regatta defending champion (AUS) Tom Slingsby added a sixth win to his core and will enter the medal race Sunday with an 18 point lead on Bruno Fontes (BRA). The Gold will go to either one and Fontes is insured of a medal. Roelof Bouwmeester (NED) in third position can only hope for Silver or Bronze but the podium is out of reach outside the top three.

The Laser Radial saw the come back to the score of early leader Annalise Murphy (IRL). The National Yacht Club sailor collects two bullets and recovers from her two false start disqualification.

She narrowly slips in the last spot for the medal race but have lost all chance for a medal. The medal race scheduled for Sunday will see ten different countries from four continents on the starting line, demonstrating once again the universality of the Laser. All places on the podium are opened to the top four. Marit Bouwmeester (NED), will defend her title going into the medal race with a comfortable 12 points lead. Evi van Acker (BEL) who has placed third in the Rolex Miami OCR and second in the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre in Palma is placed second overall, the same position she took last year in Medemblik. She has a chance for Gold but her closest rivals for Silver and Bronze are only a few points behind. Xu Lijia (CHN) is in third, one point away from van Acker. Tina Mihelic (CRO) who has progressed her skills in the breeze, is the last sailor who can aim for a medal only three points from Silver.

The Stars suffered from the breeze and steep waves, the last downwind saw four masts snapped! Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson still managed to sail across the finish with a broken mast, holding the sail at arm length in the air! Surfing the wave of success, Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) took another bullet and are discarding a 5th! They are going into the medal race tonight with a 11 points lead on Olympic champions Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (GBR). Kusenierewicz/Zycki (POL) are conserving their third position but get closer to Silver, two point only from the Brits. The podium is opened to the top 8.

Taehoon Lee (KOR) has added another solid day with a second and a first. The Asian RS:X champion can only get Gold or Silver in tomorrow's medal race. He has secured a 17 points lead over Canadian Zachary Plavsic. The Bronze medal will be for grab by three sailors: Ricardo Santos (BRA), Thomas Boyard (FRA) and Wang Aichen (CHN).

In the 470 men, Matt Belcher and Malcolm page scored another victory to extend their lead to ten points before going into the medal race tonight. The score is very tight between the sailors ranked from second to seventh, and the medal race will be highly decisive for the podium.

The women match racers have sailed today their quarter finals. Tunnicliffe (USA) defeated Skudina (RUS) 3-1, Lehtinen defeated Abrahamsen (DEN) 3-0, Wang defeated Roca (ESP) 3-1 and Groeneveld defeated Echegoyen (ESP) 3-0. With racing delayed by the heavy rain, the semi finals started at the end of the afternoon.

There was no further fleet racing today for the 470 women, Finns and 49ers. The strong wind and rain prevented further racing. The 470 women, 470 men and Stars have the medal race scheduled from 6Pm today.

The 470 women willsail their medal race today. The podium is opened to the top four. World Champions Westerhof//Berkhout (NED) are going into the medal race with a 7th point score but the Gold is opened to the top four teams. Palma Silver medallists Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata (JAP) are in second place, in front Brazilians Fernanda Oliveira/Ana Luiza Barbachan (BRA) and Martine Grael and Isabel Swan, respectively in third and fourth position.

The Finn are racing their medal race on sunday. The podium is opened to the top 6 and defending champion Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) will be under threat of World Champion Ed Wright (GBR) only three points away from Gold. Brendan Casey (AUS) will also aim for Gold.

In the 49ers the top four can get a medal Sunday but Gold and Silver will be within reach of the top three. Morrison/Rhodes are leading the fleet in front of Outteridge/Jensen (AUS) and Burling/Tuke (NZL).

The RS:X women will go into the medal race with six races sailed and Mayaan Davidovich (ISR) leading the fleet two points from Li Ling and four points from Jessica Crisp. The Gold medal will be fiercely disputed between the top three while the podium is opened to the top seven.

The 2.4 and the sailors ranked outside the top ten will race their last race on Sunday.

Two black flag penalties in both of this morning's races will dash any hope of a podium finish for Dun Laoghaire's Annalise Murphy, last night's overall leader of the Delta Lloyd regatta in Holland. After five races in the Olympic Laser Radial fleet Murphy had a winning margin of one point but after seven races the Irish hope for London had plunged to 19th overall. More as we have it.

It was a frustrating third day for the sailors at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik, Holland but not for Dun Laoghaire's Annalise Murphy who proved her world class speed again in strong winds. With wind increasing to 30 knots, racing was abandoned and boats sent to shore after just four races were completed.

Ireland's Annalise Murphy won the only Laser Radial race today. "I like the breeze!" said Annalise "but I have to admit that the last downwind leg was scary!"

The National Yacht Club sailor is now leading the strong Laser Radial fleet, "I am not complaining, I had a good result. I was leading by a long distance at the top mark but Marit Bouwmeester caught up on the down wind but I could stay in front." She now leads the overall standings on 14 points, ahead of Tina Mihelic (CRO), who came fifth today, on 15 points after discarding her first day's disqualification "I am satisfied with my result. I am not so strong in the breeze, I am much lighter than the others and it is harder for me to hike when the wind is strong. A fifth is a good result and I am relieved that I can finally discard my penalty."

Annalise at high speed today. Photo: Sander van der Borch

Marit Bouwmeester (NED) have enjoyed better results in the breeze with a second, and comes back to the score, she places in third overall position.

Overnight leader Gintare Scheidt finished 13th today and has dropped to fourth overall.

On top of the World in Holland. The Scoreboard after five races

In the Men's RS:X were the only fleet to successfully complete their two scheduled races. The day belonged to Taehoon Lee (KOR) who won Race 5 before finishing second in Race 6 to end the day on 12 points is in third.

The top of the Men's Standings is tight with just three points are separating Dorian Van Rijsselberge (NED) in first, on nine points, and Lee in third.

Van Rijsselberge, who is sailing in his home regatta, has been the pick of the sailors in the RS:X fleet this week. After winning gold at the Rolex Miami OCR and Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE the Dutchman is well on track to maintain his 100% record so far having only competed in two out of four ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas before Medemblik.

His nine points gives him a two point advantage over Jon-Paul Tobin (NZL) who finished 2-3 today.

The rest of the fleet have a tough task of catching Van Rijsselberge, Tobin and Lee as Canada's Zachary Plavsic, in fourth place, finds himself trailing the frontrunners by 15 points.

In the Laser, ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year, Tom Slingsby (AUS) has jumped to the top of the Standings. He won the only race today in the Laser fleet and has six points after discarding his tenth place finish in the third race. "I am very happy, these are my optimum conditions. It is unfortunate that the second race is cancelled because I love the breeze. I hope I can win this regatta as it will then count towards my Olympic selection. If I can't win here I will try in Weymouth and then Kiel." explained Tom Slingsby.

Bruno Fontes (BRA) came second today and has ten points, he leapfrogs early Laser leader Milan Vujasinovic (CRO). The Croatian finished the first day with double bullets in the breeze but was unable to find some similar form on an equally breezy third day. His seventh place finish has seen him slip to third overall on 13 points.

In The Women's Match Racing, just six races took place in Group B before abandonment. Renee Groeneveld (NED) qualified for the Gold Group after defeating Julia Bossard (FRA). Groeneveld has won seven out of eight races and has one more to go.

With one race apiece remaining, Ekaterina Skudina (RUS), Silja Lehtinen (FIN), Anna Kjelberg (SWE) and Stephanie Hazard (NZL) are in contention for the final two qualification places. With six race wins China's Ru Wang has completed her nine races, if results go her way she will qualify for the Gold Group.

After a long postponement on shore, the race committee announced that further sailing was cancelled for the day. Tomorrow's forecast predicts a more "sailable" weather and racing will start at 9am for the Women Match Racing and from 10am for the other classes. The Laser and 470 Men will race in Gold and Silver fleets.

The National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy has won her second race at the Delta Lloyd regatta. The win came in this morning's race five of the women's 63-boat Laser Radial class as winds in Medemblik reached 25 knots. All fleets are heading back to harbour now as winds continue to increase on the ijsslemeer. More as we have it.

After two windy opening races and now today's two light/medium air races Holland's Delta Lloyd regatta is shaping up to be a true leg of the ISAF World Sailing Cup, an important event for 13 Irish crews competing there.

Peter O'Leary and David Burrows margin in the first Irish Star Olympic trial has increased following penalty points sustained by rivals Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks for a premature start in today's third race. O'Leary of Royal Cork is now seventh on 37 points and Treacy of Royal St. George 16th on 60 points in the ultra compettive 23-boat fleet.

After a blistering start yesterday with a 3 and a 1 in the Laser Radial Class Annalise Murphy stumbled this morning with a 37 in her 59–boat fleet. She recovered in the fourth race this afternoon picking up a ninth to be sixth overall on 51 points, some 31 points shy of leader Lithuania's Gintare Scheidt.

 

After scoring 10,10,21 on the first day Ryan Seaton and Matthew McGovern  counted a 27 and a 7 today to be 12th overall in the 49er dinghy. Ed Bulter and Ben Lynch are 36th after falling foul of a black flag in the 39-boat fleet.

In the 470 mens fleet top Irish boat after day one, Barry McCartin and Thomas Chaix are now 53rd, Rob Lehane and Tom Mapplebeck are 48th and after an 8 and 18 today double Olympian Ger Owens crewed by Scott Flannigan jumps 12 places from 61st to 49th in a fleet of 68.

James Espey leads in 42nd leads Irish hopes in the Laser class where Chris Penney, Chris Russell and Ronan Cull are also competing in the 123-boat fleet.

In the mens heavywieght Finn dinghy, Ross Hamilton is 42nd in a 66-boat fleet.

Delta Lloyd stories:

First Blood to O'Leary and Burrows

Capsize Costs Annalise the Lead

All our Olympic Sailing Coverage here.

Day 2 report:

After a windy opening day, the Delta Lloyd regatta provided sailors with challenging conditions with shifty winds on day two of the fifth ISAF Sailing World Cup event.

"Olympic couple" Robert and Gintare Scheidt, racing in the Star and the Laser Radial are leading their class with top results including a win in the last race. At the end of the day they Match-raced each others in the "fun race" organised for the day winners. Robert took the win but Gintare is aiming to take her revenge before the end of the week!

The Stars were last off the water last night, with their fourth race ending at 9.30 PM! Beijing Silver medallists, Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) took the early lead with a third and a win, followed by another win in today's last race. They are continuing on their good form after winning the Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères with a day to spare. After a victory in their last event in Palma, Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (GBR) are in second position and in contention for the event title. Canadians Richard Clarke and Tyler Bjorn, and last year SWC winners Eivind Melleby and Petter Moerland Pedersen (NOR) are only one point from second.

Beijing Silver medallist Gintare Scheidt (LTU) is climbing to first place in the Laser radial after mastering the day's tricky conditions. "The wind was very shifty and the positions changed constantly throughout the races." Tina Mihelic (CRO) who is still carrying a disqualification from the first day won the first race and placed fourth in the second. She is in tenth overall. "It was a difficult day with big shifts but I sailed well. I look forward more races to discard my OCS and come up in the rankings."

Early leader Marit Bouwmeester (NED) lost seven places after a difficult day. She comments on her 39th with: "On the first race I got carried away, too eager, I went too far left and ended up with less wind." Bouwmeester compared today's conditions with the ones encountered in Weymouth when the northerly is blowing.

Milan Vujasinovic (CRO) conserves the lead in the Laser on equal points with Bruno Fontes from Brazil. "I am happy with today's results and to keep the lead." says the Croat, "Light winds are not my favoured conditions, and I found it really hard! I just had to be patient and wait to benefit from the situations that came my way."

In the RS:X, Palma's winner Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED) takes the lead from JP Tobin (NZL) after consistent sailing. "I have not seen conditions so unstable, the wind went right and left and up and down. In the second race I ended up in a hole in the middle and rounded the top mark in 30th position. These conditions also gave me opportunities to catch up and finally finish fifth!" explains the Dutch.

2010 Asian Games champion, Wang Aichen (CHN) wins the second race and places in sixth position overall.

In the Women division, Mayaan Davidovich (ISR) who placed 9th in the Delta lloyd regatta last year is taking the lead with consistent results. Jessica Crisp (AUS) is following closely after winning the first race of the day. The Chinese sailors are once again proving their strong abilities in windsurfing claiming, third, fourth and fifth places.

Olympic medallist Fernanda Oliveira with new crew Ana Luiza Barbachan (BRA) have taken the lead in the 470 after top three results in today's tricky conditions. Yuka Yoshisako and Noriko Okuma (JAP), 5th at the 470 Spring Cup are taking second position overall. After mixed results (19th and 1st), early leaders Martine Grael and Isabel Swan (BRA) are in third in front of Dutch team of Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout who have collected near perfect results with a first and a second.

In the Men division, Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (CRO) are conserving their lead, three points over World # 1 Mat Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS). The day went to the Japanese teams with Tetsuya Matsunaga / Kimihiko Imamura and Ichino Naoki/Ryouhei Froyliche enjoying the conditions with a second and a first each. "We like the light conditions so today was a day for us." explains Tetsuya, "We were in the lead at the top mark but got passed by Ichino and Ryouhei. We beat them again downwind." The Japanese 470 has a strong team in Medemblik. "We are five boats training together and progressing together as well." Tetsuya and Kimihiko, after finishing 18th in Medemblik in previous years, have an objective of top three in this event.

Finn World Champion Ed Wright (GBR) is increasing his lead in the Finn fleet after winning a second race today. Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) is second, ten points from Laser Olympic medallist, Slovenian Vasilij Zbogar. The second race in the Finn penalised eight boats over the line. Among them, Dan Slater (NZL) is collecting his second penalty.

In the 49er, yesterday leaders, the Australians Outteridge/Jensen and the Philips brothers, got disqualified by the jury for rounding the wrong mark. Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes (GBR) are taking the lead with Peter Kruger Andersen and Nicolai Thorsell (DEN) in second and the Australians Outteridge/Jensen third.

The qualification stage in the Women Match racing is nearly completed. In Group A, Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) and team have continued on their perfect racing with eight wins and will enter the Gold group undefeated. Team Tunnicliffe (USA) have had a better day with four wins and are second in the Gold. Second spanish team of Roca is taking the third place in the Gold from Group A. There are still some matches to be raced in Group B, Groeneveld (NED) and Skudina (RUS) have both collected 6 victories. Racing will resume in the morning to decide the three teams qualified in the Gold fleet.

"The matches have been really hard and a real contest so we are happy with our results. We are in the Gold group thanks to real team work. Yesterday, in the breeze every small mistake could cost a lot and we needed to be careful. Today the wind was hard to read and my crew did a great work with the strategies. We needed to be very attentive to the wind shifts." explained Tamara Echegoyen (ESP).

Thierry Schmitter (NED) and Megan Pascoe (GBR) are continuing with their series of first and second places and increase their margin over the rest of the fleet.

Thursday will be the last chances for classes racing in groups to qualify for the Gold fleet.