Another disappointing day of light-wind conditions at the ISAF World Games, Marseille, meant that the day’s races could not be counted as only one group managed to race. By the time the second group went out in the afternoon, the wind had died off altogether and although starts were attempted the breeze did not hold out in order to enable the races to get underway. As it was the last day of qualifying before going into the final race series, both groups needed to be on an even number of races, and therefore those that raced in the morning could not count their results.

This was unfortunate for the team GBR keelboats, both Paul Brotherton and his team and Cordelia Ellis and her team, who raced in the morning, posted their best results of the regatta, but could not count them towards the final series.

Paul Brotherton, sailing with Magnus Leask, Simon Russell and Simon Nearn, won the last race of the two races they sailed in the 6-7 knot breeze that Marseille Bay had to offer, which would have been his first race win of the championships, but unfortunately he could not count it.

Likewise in the women’s keelboat fleet, Cordelia Ellis, sailing with Sarah Webb, Cailah Leask and Sarah Allen, scored a first and a fifth place, but again could not add this to their overall score.

With the fleets being split into Gold and Silver groups for the last three days of the championships, the race committee are going to attempt to race up to four races a day, with two points between first and third place in the women’s keelboat fleet, racing will be tight.

Racing did get underway however in the women’s Hobie 16 class, one race was sailed in very light and tricky conditions, Ellen Foreshaw/Jenny Deyes maintained their good form, posting a fifth place to put them in joint third overall going into the finals. At present the French are dominating the class, with sailors in first and second places.

Foreshaw commented, “We feel that the French girls have an advantage over us and the rest of the competitors, as sailing this type of boat is being much more developed in France. For us, it is our first time competing in the Hobie at a high level and we have only been training for a couple of months. Our goal at this event is to remain confident and we hope to finish in the top three.”

The Laser Radial class has had the best series of racing so far, at this point they have now competed ten races, with not much change in the top three. Sophie de Turckheim of France is dominating the class, scoring seven first places out of ten races.

After finishing twelfth and fifth in the last two races of the qualifying series, team GBR sailor Nicky Muller has moved up into tenth place overall, with team mate Katie Archer in fifteenth place.

One race was also sailed in the men’s 470 class, conditions were tricky for the competitors but it was the pairing of Yogev Yosef/Shahaf Amir from Israel that mastered the conditions, and after scoring a second place, currently lead the class. Team GBR sailors Nick Rogers/Joe Glanfield are currently twelfth with Graham Vials/Dan Newman 24th.

Team Manager Barry Edgington commented, “It has been a difficult day for the competitors, the team GBR keelboats all scored good results this morning but could not count these races. Both Cordelia and Ian are going into the finals series of races in a very strong position, they have both got the upper hand on boat speed over the majority of the fleet and will be looking to use this to their advantage over the next few day, when it really counts.”

Racing continues through until Wednesday, the teams that have been sailing as groups will now race in Gold and Silver fleets, with the winner of the Gold group winning the world championship title.