In light and shifty conditions, the first day of the finals of the Europe world championship saw many of the top sailors come to grief as the wind pressure varied from one side of the course to another. It was a game of snakes and ladders out on Hamilton harbour as the best female Europe sailors in the world battled it out in the tricky condition.

Sarah Blanck of Australia continues to lead the class, although she also had to cope in the tricky conditions and scored her worst results of the regatta so far, a sixth and a 26th. Despite these results Blanck still has a 10-point lead over Petra Niemann of Germany.

The British sailors seemed to have mastered the tricky conditions by the second race of the day. Nineteen year old Andrea Brewster finished in fifth place, with team GBR sailor Debbie Winstanley just behind her in sixth and team mate Kirsty Bonar finishing in 11th place.

Winstanley commented, ” I sailed two good races today and feel much happier with my sailing. I have been suffering a bit as I have had mast step problems but my boat is now fixed and as a result I am sailing better.”

Bonar still heads up the British contingent, lying in 28th place in the gold fleet, with Winstanley 29th, Bryony Percy 33rd and Andrea Brewster 45th. Kit Stenhouse is currently lying third overall in the silver fleet.

There are two more races left to be sailed to complete the series at the Europe worlds championship, the points are tight and racing is guaranteed to be close going into the final races, to determine who will take home the gold medal.

Results (gold fleet)

1, Sarah Blanck, AUS (2,3,1,1,1,5,2,2,(6),(26)) 17 pts

2, Petra Niemann, GER (10,5,2,2,3,(11),(34),1,3,1) 27 pts

3, Siren Sundby, NOR (1,1,(20),4,10,2,6,3,(24),9) 27 pts

GBR

28, Kirsty Bonar (17,7,1,(32),(29),15,22,17,29,11) 119 pts

29, Debbie Winstanley (6,26,(DSQ),11,29,4,21,(34),16,6) 119 pts

33, Bryony Percy (15,26,27,(34),12,19,4,13,27,(52)) 144 pts

45, Andrea Brewster (31,23,13,31,2,34,33,(38),(52),5) 172 pts