In the rain and heavy winds competitors lined the beech of Pwllheli, anxiously waiting for the wind to drop yesterday. At lunchtime a major shift in the wind direction killed the breeze from 30kts of wind down to Force 7, allowing race organisers to send the 300 competitors afloat.

After preparing themselves mentally and physically for a tough day battling large waves and a brisk breeze, competitors had to change their approach and launched at mid afternoon into a light westerly wind.

Despite such a late start, race organisers were determined to sail all the scheduled races for the day. The Mistrals were first to return home and Peter Bird, who is establishing himself as a light airs specialist, regained the lead from Richard Potter. However, RYA youth selectors have a tough decision as only two points separate Potter and Bird and in the girls fleet Steph Thompson in sixth overall is only one point ahead from Laura Bray.

In the 29er fleet the results paint a different picture and Tristan Jaques and Alain Sign from Stokes Bay now have nine wins from the 11 races sailed. Going into the last day they have established a 33-point lead from James Stewardson and Tom Morris from Ullswater, who by no means have second place secure. Justin Visser and Simon Wheeler from Lymington are only two points behind in third after winning race ten.

Similarly in the Hobie 16 class Tom Phipps and Jon Cook from Restronguet are dominating the fleet discarding a second as their worst result. The pair have only been sailing for a year but attending the same school the pair have been training hard leading up to the event and have their sights set firmly on the international circuit. Fifteen points behind are Simon Kearns and Ben Burns are in second place.

Racing is much tighter in the 420 fleet and the battle of the sexes is building to a climax going into the last day. Despite shredding their spinnaker and having to discard a 33rd, Pippa Wilson and Harriette Trumble from Lymington are first, although are equal on 23 points with Jonathan McGovern and Stuart Bithell from Hollingworth Lake.

In the Laser Radial, the largest class of 97 boats that are split into a gold and silver league, Richard McCullough from Balyholme is leading having stolen the lead from Sean Evans who now lies in sixth. Only six points behind in second is Andy Mckee from Dovestone and despite dropping down the rankings from second to fourth, Colette Blair from Bewl Valley remains first girl. With an incredibly narrow point margin the race to become RYA Youth Champion 2004 is wide open.

RYA youth selectors have one day left before they announce the RYA British team for the Volvo Sailing ISAF World Championships in July.

Results

420 – 56 entries

1, Pippa Wilson/Harriette Trumble, Royal Lymington SC (2,8,3,1,1,2,4,(33),9,2 23 pts

2, Jonathan McGovern/Stuart Bithell, Hollingworth Lake (1,2,1,2,7,(10),7,2,5,3) 23 pts

3, Nathan Batchelor/Joe Crabb, Chew Valley Lake (3,1,(20),10,12,5,210,(13),6) 49 pts

Girls

6, Joanne MacDonald/Laurie Marsden RNCYC (4,22,(57),16,6,15,10,3,2,1) 57 pts

9, Joanne Brigg/ Mary Rook, Itchenor SC (14,13,(18),8,14,17,3,7,6,14) 79pts

29er – 17 entries

1, Tristan Jaques/Alain Sign, Stokes Bay SC (1,1,1,1,1,(2),1,1,1(5),1) 11pts

2, James Stewardson/Tom Morris, Ullswater SC (3,6,3,5,5,3,3,9,4,4,8) 48pts

3, Justin Visser/Simon Wheeler, Royal Lymington SC (5,(9),9,2,2,5,6,3,8,1,5) 46 pts

Mistral – 11 entries

1, Peter Bird, Largs (1,1,2,2,(3),1,1) 8 pts

2, Richard Potter, Notts County (2,3,1,1,1,2,(4)) 10 pts

3, Paul Sibley, Bray Watersports (3,4,3,3,2,3,3) 17 pts

Girls

6, Steph Thompson, Queen Mary SC (6,6,(9),6,8,6,8) 40 pts

7, Laura Bray, Astbury ((7),7,7,7,7,7,6) 41 pts

8, Jilly Bromley, ((9),9,6,9,6,8,7) 45 pts

Hobie 16 – 10 entries

1, Tom Phipps/Jon Cook, Restronguet SC (1,1,1,1,1,1,(1,)(2),1,1) 9 pts

2, Simon Kearns/Ben Burns (3,5,6,3,2,2,2,4,4) 24 pts

3, San Newton/Nick Taylor, Restronguet (2,2,3,6,5,6,(8),3,4,1,(7) 32pts

Laser Radial – 97 entries

1, Richard McCullough, Balyholme ((3),1,1,14,17,2,2,(39),1) 38 pts

2, Andy Mckee, Dovestone (1,(3),2,(12),8,8,4,8,5,5) 41 pts

3, John Beatty, East Down ((8),3,6,10,3,6,(11),3,10,1) 42 pts

Girls

4, Colette Blair, Bewl Valley SC (2,12,1,1,14,9,6,(18),6,19)) 39 pts

29, Sarah Williams, Port Dinorwic SC (22,23,20,25,13,20,31,(39),30) 184pts

37. Rosie Chapman, Mounts Bay SC (6,(14),9,31,26,36,36,36,(42),29,42) 215 pts