Only Paul Goodison (Laser class) still holds a top position in the ISAF Sailing World Cup event in Hyeres – with just one day to go before the Medal races. Nick Dempsey has crept up into the bronze medal position in the men’s RS:X, but 2.4mR Paralympic sailor Helena Lucas has dropped from first place to third.

Yesterday (23 April) proved a difficult one for Skandia Team GBR’s sailors. Competitors faced a long stint on shore waiting for the wind to arrive, with racing eventually getting underway just before 15:00. In the light conditions, which 2.4mR Paralympic sailor Helena Lucas described as making for “wacky racing”, the British crews endured a mixed bag of results.

Olympic Champion Paul Goodison still leads the Laser fleet, in spite of picking up his worst days’ scores of the event so far. He posted a discardable 31 and an eighth from his two races – although with his nearest rivals posting worse results both today and earlier in the regatta, Goodison’s overall points lead has grown to 21 at the top of Laser leaderboard.

“It was a classic day of gold fleet racing,” said Skandia Team GBR Laser coach Chris Gowers. “It’s all a lot closer now – the gains are still there to be had, only if you’re willing to take a gamble.”

Lucas remains in a podium position. Although she’s dropped to the bronze medal position, just one point separates her from Canadian Paul Tingley in second.

While the Italian SIbello brothers remain in control at the top of the fleet, Britain’s crews continue to battle in the closely fought 49er class. Chris Draper and Peter Greenhalgh resume the mantle of the leading British boat with a solid days’ performance of 6,5,12 amid the testing conditions. They’re up to sixth overall in this, their debut regatta as a pair.

Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes drop down the pecking order to ninth after a disappointing day, although the Exmouth pair are remaining confident with the points margins still so close and three further fleet races and the medal race left to run.

“It was one of those days where you just felt one race out of time really,” explained Rhodes. “For example, in the last race we had a good start, followed our plan and the wind did exactly what we thought it was going to do – in the race before! We were going the other way by that point!”

Athens bronze medallist Nick Dempsey has crept up into the bronze medal position in the men’s RS:X windsurfing event, but Team GBR’s Finn sailors proved inconsistent in the tricky conditions.

Racing for Palma World Cup winner Giles Scott and silver medallist Ed Wright got better as they went along, but it was the opposite story for Andrew Mills who starting the day well with a third before picking up a 17th in the second race. All three boats remain in the top ten, with Scott in fifth.

For a full list of current positions in all classes, click here .