The wind whipped along the coast of Wales on the third day of the RYA Youth Championships and Trials 2004 providing sailors with some fantastic racing yesterday.

For the first time this week RYA selectors were able to watch the sailors perform in a fresh breeze that provided a medley of different winners from yesterdays light airs.

However, the 12kts of wind did nothing to change the winning ways of Tom Phipps and Jon Cook from Restronguet who, after seven races, have seven firsts in the Hobie 16. Speaking after their straight wins Tom and Jon said: “We are really thrilled to have established a comfortable lead especially as we have only been sailing the boat for a year.”

Similarly in the 29er, Tristain Jaques and Alain Sign from Stokes Bay took full advantage of the perfect conditions for skiff sailing. Cruising down the waves that built up during the day, they are discarding only a second and counting seven firsts. Tristain said: “The medium winds really suited us today and we only dropped one race coming second. However, the competition has always been close behind, so we are not counting our chickens just yet.”

The fight for second place is much tighter but James Stewardson and Tom Morris from Ullswater SC have edged into second. Four points behind them are Justin Visser and Simon Wheeler from Lymington who have leapfrogged from eighth at the beginning of the day to third at the end.

In the 420 fleet the change of wind has brought about many changes in the results especially as sailors can now discard a race. Pippa Wilson and Harriette Trumble from Lymington had an outstanding day with two firsts and have swapped places with Jonathan McGovern and Stuart Bithell from Hollingworth Lake to take first place overnight. Also pleased with their performance is Luke Patience and Adam Wagner who jumped from 20th to fourth by close of play.

In the Mistral fleet, the race for a spot in the RYA British Team for the Volvo Sailing ISAF World Youth Championships could not be any closer. In the first race of the day Richard Potter from Notts County had some ground to make up after Peter Bird won both races yesterday. As they rounded the bottom mark inches apart, a close fought battle pursued but by the finishing line it was Potter who had edged ahead to take first place. With a slight weight advantage in the 12kts of wind Potter went on to win the next two races of the day. Steph Thompson from Queen Mary Sailing Club in sixth and Laura Bray in seventh are equal on 35 points in the girls. However, RYA Team GBR member and RYA youth selector, Dom Tidey was particularly pleased with Jilly Bromley, who is hot on the heels of her two counterparts, four points behind.

On the second day of racing in the Laser Radial, the fleet were split into a gold and silver league. The conditions were ideal for the 97 Laser Radials racing and subsequently a number of the competitors were caught out by the jury for pumping their sails for better speed. However, Sean Evans from Corus used the waves well and scored two race wins to become overnight leader from Daniel Belben from Stokes Bay, two points behind in second place.

With two days of racing now complete, sailors have had a chance to show selectors their skills in both light and medium winds and now half way through the championship the event is still all to play for.

Results

420 – 56 entries

1, Pippa Wilson/Harriette Trumble, Royal Lymington SC (2,8,3,1,1,2,4) 13 pts

2, Jonathan McGovern/Stuart Bithell, Hollingworth Lake (1,2,1,2,7,(10),7) 20 pts

3, Nathan Batchelor/Joe Crabb, Chew Valley Lake (3,1,(20),10,12,5,2) 33 pts

Girls

8, Joanne Brigg/ Mary Rook, Itchenor SC (14,13,(18),8,14,17,3) 69 pts

11, Joanne MacDonald/Laurie Marsden RNCYC (4,22,(57),16,6,15,10) 73 pts

29er – 17 entries

1, Tristan Jaques/Alain Sign, Stokes Bay SC (1,1,1,1,1,(2),1,1) 7 pts

2, James Stewardson/Tom Morris, Ullswater SC (3,6,3) 28 pts

3, Justin Visser/Simon Wheeler, Royal Lymington SC (5,(9),9,2,2,5,6,3) 32 pts

Mistral – 11 entries

1, Richard Potter, Notts County (2,3,1,1,1) 8 pts

2, Peter Bird, Largs (1,1,2,2,3) 9 pts

3, Paul Sibley, Bray Watersports (3,4,3,3,2) 15 pts

Girls

6, Steph Thompson, Queen Mary SC (6,6,9,6,8)35 pts

7, Laura Bray, Astbury (7,7,7,7,7) 35 pts

8, Jilly Bromley, (9,9,6,9,6) 39 pts

Hobie 16 – 10 entries

1, Tom Phipps/Jon Cook, Restronguet SC (1,1,1,1,1,1,(1,)) 6 pts

2, Simon Kearns/Ben Burns (3,5,6,3,2,2,2) 17 pts

3, Ben Mansfield/Ben Hinks (8,4,7,2,3,4,3) 23 pts

Laser Radial – 97 entries

1, Sean Evans, Corus (3,10,2,2,1,1) 19 pts

2, Daniel Belben (2,1,3,1,5,7) 19 pts

3, Colette Blair, Bewl Valley SC(2,1,1,14,9,6) 33 pts

Girls

22, Sarah Williams, Port Dinorwic SC (22,23,20,25,13,20 123 pts

26, Rosie Chapman, Mounts Bay SC (6,9,31,26,36,36) 144 pts