An 18-22 knot westerly gradient wind and 4-6ft seas produced exciting sailing and a tough test for the 131-strong fleet on the second day of the Laser world championship at Hyannis on Cape Cod. Again, racing was in two heats with two races scheduled for the day.

The first heat of the first race got off to a clean start at the first attempt. Five times world champion, Robert Scheidt from Brazil worked the left hand side of the first windward leg before taking a small a shift to cross the fleet and lead at the first mark. In strong winds conditions there are not many who can live with the double Olympic medallist and extended his lead throughout the race to take the winning gun.

In the second race Australian Brendan was first to show with Scheidt back in sixth having been to far to the left of a backing wind. Scheidt slowly pulled through the fleet with Casey always looking over his shoulder. Casey said “Robert was going fast and I had to work hard to keep him behind me. On the second upwind the wind had shifted 25 degrees to the right. Robert stood on more than I did on starboard tack which kept him behind me.” After the race Scheidt said I was pleased with my day. I had speed and felt physically good. It has given me a lot of confidence after my poor result the previous day.”

The best results of the day went to Ed Wright from Great Britain who scored two first places ahead of the Finn, Fredrik Westman. Their’s was a race of contrasting skills. Westman, the tallest sailor in the fleet, had awesome speed upwind while Wright was as fast again downwind in the winds that had built to 25 knots plus as the sea breeze built on the gradient.

Two more races are scheduled for today.

Results (provisional after three races)

1 GBR 176056, Edward Wright 4.0 pts

2 AUS 176059, Brendan Casey 8.0 pts

3 RSA 176101, Gareth Blanckenberg 10.0 pts

4 FIN 176027, Fredrik Westman 16.0 pts

5 BRA 176015, Robert Scheidt 18.0 pts

6 SWE 176012, Peter Santen 19.0 pts

7 SWE 176013, Karl Suneson 20.0 pts

8 GBR 176050, Mark Howard 23.0 pts

9 SLO 176138, Vasilij Zbogar 23.0 pts

10 GBR 176061, Paul Goodison 30.0 pts

11 NED 176046, Marc De Haas 31.0 pts

12 ITA 176075, Diego Negri 31.0 pts

13 CRO 176030, Mate Arapov 32.0 pts

14 BEL 176008, Philippe Bergmans 32.0 pts

15 TUR 176118, Ali Kemal Tufekci 34.0 pts

16 POR 176100, Gustavo Lima 36.0 pts

17 AUT 176092, Andreas Geritzer 37.0 pts

18 NOR 176090, Peer Moberg 39.0 pts

19 USA 176142, Benjamin Richardson 40.0 pts

20 SWE 176011, Rasmus Myrgren 40.0 pts