The second day of the Europe world championship in Hamilton Harbour, Canada, got underway in fairly light and shifty conditions, with the 109 competitors in the women’s fleet seeing varying breeze of around 7-10 knots.

The two groups were reallocated over night and a further two races were sailed. Team GBR sailor Kirsty Bonar got off to a flying start and sailed a great race to cross the line in poll position and score her first bullet of the championship. The second race did not go quite to plan, finishing in 32nd position, but it was a good day in the office, seeing her move up into 15th place overall.

Bonar commented: “The conditions in Hamilton are really hard and testing. Very few people are managing to be consistent and I think that will be the key to the event, we will have to see, there is still a long way to go.”

Team mate Debbie Winstanley was penalised in the first race of the day for being on course side when the start gun went off, the black flag was flying which meant that Winstanley was instantly disqualified and could not participate in the race. She came back from it in the second race of the day, scoring an 11th place to put her in 33rd place overall. Fellow team GBR sailor Bryony Percy, sister of recent Star world champion Iain Percy, scored a 27th and a 34th to put her in 55th place, one place behind British sailor Andrea Brewster.

Sarah Blanck of Australia is currently leading the championship after scoring two first places on the second day. She has a two point lead over Siren Sundby of Norway.

The competitors still have two more days of qualifying rounds before being split in gold, silver and bronze fleets, when they will race in the final series for the title of Europe world champion. Racing concludes on the 3 September.

Results (day 2)

1, Sarah Blanck, AUS (2,(3),1,1) 4 pts

2, Siren Sundby, NOR (1,1,(20),4) 6 pts

3, Sari Multala, FIN (1,1,(8),5) 7 pts

GBR

15, Kirsty Bonar (17,7,1,(32)) 25 pts

33, Debbie Winstanley (6,26,(DSQ),11) 43 pts

54, Andrea Brewster ((31),23,13,31) 67 pts

55, Bryony Percy (15,26,27,(34)) 68 pts

62, Laura Baldwin (23,31,(34),29) 83 pts

74, Kit Stenhouse ((44),37,20,38) 95 pts

100, Natalie Lloyd (47,(48),45,47) 139 pts