The Spanish pairing of Martinez and Fernandez have found speed and put in an excellent performance so far to lead the 49er world championship with one day to go.

Four races were sailed yesterday (21 September, 2001) in very difficult conditions, with the first two races sailed in a shifty 12-13 knots of breeze, the third race was started and then abandoned when competitors got back on shore, as the race committee threw it out with the belief that the race went over the time limit. Sailors then had a three-hour postponement ashore waiting for the wind to come back in, and then went back out for two more races in a dying breeze of 6-7 knots.

RYA Team GBR sailors Paul Brotherton and Simon Hiscocks, put in a consistent performance recording a fifth, two 10th places and a 12th to put them in seventh place overall in this tough world championship. Alister Richardson and Peter Greenhalgh, lost their form a little but considering the competition they are up against, and the conditions that Lake Garda has had to offer, they still managed to put in a steady performance and are 11th overall.

The final four races will be sailed today (22 September, 2001) to decide the 49er world champion. If nine races are sailed then sailors will be able to discard their worst two race results, so there is still all to play for in this championship.

Gold Series Results

Day 2, after 6 races (the result in the bracket is the individuals final ranking that is carried over to the Gold fleet series)

1st IRER MARTINEZ/XABIER FERNANDEZ ESP 25 pts (4),5,5,8,1,20,2

2nd JONATHAN MC KEE/CHARLIE MC KEE USA 33 pts (9),3,1,14,12,4,4

3rd LUKA RODION/GEORGE LEONCHUK UKR 39 pts (5),12,2,4,2,OCS,14

Team GBR

7th PAUL BROTHERTON / SIMON HISCOCKS 51 pts (6)13,8,5,10,12,10

11th ALISTER RICHARDSON/ PETER GREENHALGH 64 pts (2),4, DSQ,10,17,15,16

19th IAN BARKER/ HARVEY HILARY 90 pts (14),21,13,19,21,8,15

20th CHRIS DRAPER/ MARK ASQUITH 91 pts (20),10,20,13,18,17,13