The qualifying series at the 49er world championship in Athens concluded on Friday with the top 25 boats going on to race for the world championship title.

The variety in weather conditions is providing the competitors with a tough challenge and yesterday was no exception with three races taking place in strong winds.

A seventh place in the first race, after a capsize, for RYA Team GBR sailors Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks, was quickly followed up with a fourth and a third, and they are currently placed third overall going into the final three days of racing.

Fellow Team GBR sailors Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes also had a good day, scoring a fifth, second and their first race win of the championship, to move up to fourth place overall.

The 2002 world champions, Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez of Spain, continue to lead the fleet by two points from Christoffer Sundby and Frode Bovim of Norway. The points however, are really close with just five points separating first and fourth place.

The final series takes place from the 17-19 April.

Results (day 3)

1, Iker Martinez/Xabier Fernandez, ESP (4,1,1,3,1,(6)) 10 pts

2, Christoffer Sundby/Frode Bovim, NOR (2,2,4,2,(9),2) 12 pts

3, Chris Draper/Simon Hiscocks, GBR (1,2,4,(7),4,3) 14 pts Other GBR

4, Stevie Morrison/Ben Rhodes (2,(6),5,5,1,2) 15 pts

19, Alister Richardson/Alex Tobutt (9,4,9,4,(10),4) 30 pts

26, Paul Brotherton/Mark Asquith (6,9,(13),10,10,6) 41 pts

32, James Mcintosh/Philip Kennard (4,3,15,15,13,(16)) 50 pts

52, Ben McGrane/Jonathan Clegg (16,13,(20),14,19,15) 77 pts

53, John Pink/Alex Hopson (11,10,13,(DNF),DNF,14,5) 82 pts