Royal Cork sailor Peter McCann had a tough day in the Gold Fleet of the UK Optimist Nationals yesterday, along with many of the top ten who posted results in the low teens, twenties and beyond in Weymouth.
The black flag was on display, and with the winds hovering around 14 knots, McCann posted a 20th and 24th, while the leader, Spaniard Silvia Mas Despares notched up two race wins.
McCann remains in seventh overall, the first of nine Irish boats in the 82-boat gold fleet.
Results are HERE for the gold fleet.
In the junior fleet, Daire Cournane is in third overall, with a 25-point cushion over the fourth place boat, and goes into the final stages with improving his standing on the podium on his mind.
Junior gold results are HERE, with results for all fleets HERE.
The near perfect conditions held up throughout the third day of racing on the 28th July at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, as the 49th Volvo Musto Optimist British National and Open Championships moved into the final straight. With the final races to take place on Friday, and only two scheduled for the penultimate day, the front runners of the Senior fleet made their moves ahead of what should prove to be an exciting conclusion to the regatta.
Glorious sunshine and an almost cloudless blue sky greeted the competitors, with the fleets launching in winds of around 12 knots. The breeze picked up to 15 knots as the senior fleet prepared at the start of the first race, with the British contingent battling it out with some excellent young sailors from overseas. American Jack Toland won the opening race, while Silvia Mas Depares from Spain continued her excellent performances, winning the second and third race. 13 year old Matthew Whitfield from Cardiff Bay Yacht Club was the only sailor from these shores who posted a top three place in today’s races.
Harry Gozzett whose 14 and from Dabchicks Sailing Club is also still in contention after consistent performances this week, he said the visiting competitors have added to the standard to the regatta. “I really like the conditions out here, 15 knots is near perfect for me and I really enjoyed it, the international competitors are great to race against. I was at the Europeans and this is almost the same as there are so many good sailors who I sailed against there who have turned up here. “
Defending British National Champion Callum Airlie posted a fourth in the opening race which has secured his place as the leader going into tomorrow. Silvia Mas Depares is first on the leader board, and is edging her way to securing the Open Championship crown, which is for the highest placed overseas competitor.
Today’s forecast is for slightly lighter winds and overcast conditions, which should add to the challenge for these young sailors here at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy.
