Great Britain got off to a good start on the first day of the 2005 Princess Sofia Regatta with podium position finishes in all three of the Olympic sailing classes that raced.

Only the Laser, Laser Radial and Yngling classes managed to race in the light winds and in all three classes the British posted podium results.

Competing in her first regatta as a helmsman, Yngling gold medallist Sarah Ayton and new crew of Annie Lush and ocean racer Lisa MacDonald, who is standing in whilst fellow gold medallist Sarah Webb recovers from a knee operation, put in a good performance in their first race of the season. They crossed the line in second place behind the Spanish team of Monica Azon, Graciela Pisonero and Sandra Azon. Fellow British sailors Dom Lindsey, Diana Shanks and Fleur Oswald also got off to a great start in their first race together as a crew, finishing in third place.

The 66-boat Laser class are split into two fleets for the first half of the week, and day one saw British sailors leading both of them. Athens Olympian Paul Goodison showed he meant business and that he has clearly put his fourth place Athens disappointment behind him, by winning the first race of the regatta. Fellow RYA Team GBR sailors Mark Howard followed suit in his fleet, also posting a race win to take an early lead in the event.

The only other class to race on day one was the new women’s single-hander, the Laser Radial, and American youth worlds medallist Paige Railey showed good form to win race one from British sailor Penny Mountford. Fellow youth worlds medallist Charlotte Dobson finished fourth in the 36 boat fleet.

Results, day 1

Laser

1, Mark Howard, GBR (1) 1 pt

1, Paul Goodison, GBR (1) 1 pt

3, Julio Ruiz Gomez, ESP (2) 2 pts

Other GBR

9, Andy Brooks (5) 5 pts

15, Charles Baillie Strong (8) 8 pts

15, Mark Powell (8) 8 pts

17, Keir Clarke (9) 9 pts

21, Nick Thompson (11) 11 pts

23, Andrew Commander (12) 12 pts

29, Giles Scott (15) 15 pts

43, Stephen Powell (22) 22 pts

Laser Radial

1, Paige Railey, USA (1) 1 pt

2, Penny Mountford, GBR (2) 2 pts

3, Wiebke Schroder, GER (3) 3 pts

Other GBR

4, Charlotte Dobson (4) 5 pts

15, Andre Brewster (15) 15 pts

18, Laura Baldwin (18) 18 pts

25, Lizzie Vickers (25) 25 pts

Yngling

1, Monica Azon/Graciela Pisonero/Sandra Azon, ESP (1) 1 pt

2, Sarah Ayton/Annie Lush/Lisa MacDonald, GBR (2) 2 pts

3, Dom Lindsey/Diana Shanks/Fleur Oswald, GBR (3) 3 pts

Other GBR

7, Lizzie Edwards/Rachel Howe/Lucy Burn (7) 7 pts