One further race was sailed at the 470 world championships in order to complete the qualifying stages of the competition in Italy yesterday. The 170 competitors enjoyed the windiest conditions experienced in Cagliari, Sardinia, so far, sailing in 18 knots of breeze that was gusting in excess of 20 knots, making for an exciting day’s racing.

RYA team GBR sailors Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield continued their good form and posted a sixth place, to maintain their position of second place overall. With no results worse than a sixth so far, Rogers and Glanfield really are on top form and will be fighting hard to stay in the medals.

Simon Cooke/Peter Nicholas of New Zealand are four points in front of Rogers/Glanfield, after scoring a third place finish and American sailors Paul Forester/Kevin Burnham are three points behind in bronze medal position.

Racing will be tight all the way to the end as the top ten is littered with champions. The current European, World Sailing Games, pre-Olympic and Olympic champions are all lining the top ten and itching to get their feet on the podium.

In the women’s fleet, double world and European champions, Sofia Bekatorou/Emilia Tsoulfa of Greece look unstoppable, scoring a 16th followed by five race wins puts them in poll position, five points in front of Lisa Westerhof/Margriet Matthijiss of Holland.

Team GBR sailors Josie Gibson and Saskia Clarke are gradually creeping up the top 20, adding an 11th place to their score-line puts them in 18th place overall. Fellow Brits, Christina Bassadone/Catherine Hopson have showed real promise over the last two days, adding a sixth to their overall score puts them in 22nd place overall.

The sailors at the world championships will now sail in gold, silver and bronze fleets, and race a further eighth races with the winner of the gold fleet being crowned the world champions.

Results

Men

1, Simon Cooke/Peter Nicholas, NZL (1,(6),2,1,3,3) 10 pts

2, Nick Rogers/Joe Glanfield (3,4,1,5,1,(6)) 14 pts

3, Paul Forester/Kevin Burnham, USA (1,2,3,8,3,(11)) 17 pts

GBR

47, Graham Vials/Harvey Hillary (25,(DSQ),10,10,18,16) 79 pts

62, Mark Plummer/Oliver Hawkley ((27),18,20,5,20,26) 89 pts

75, Clive Goodwin/Douglas Powell (18,28,16,15,(DNF),26) 103 pts

Women

1, Sofia Bekatorou/Emilia Tsoulfa, GRE ((16),1,1,1,1,1) 5 pts

2, Lisa Westerhof/Margriet Matthijiss, NED ((21),4,1,1,1,3) 10 pts

3, Susanne Ward/Michaela Ward, DEN ((18),9,3,2,7,1) 22 pts

GBR

18, Josie Gibson/Saskia Clarke (11,11,(OCS),11,5,11) 49 pts

22, Christina Bassadone/Catherine Hopson (4,23,(OCS),12,8,6) 52 pts

46, Helena Lucas/Jenny Heeley (11,11,19,(31),24,28) 93 pts

54, Libby Greenhalgh/Roz Bulmer (25,18,(OCS),28,23,20) 114 pts