Royal Geelong Yacht Club brother and sister, Thomas and Sophie Alexander, have extended their overall lead to a healthy five points over their nearest rivals in the International Cadet World championship at Weymouth on the south coast of England.
A long and frustrating day on the water saw just one race completed and the Alexanders turn in their worst result of the regatta, a seventh, which as their discard, leaves them with a net score of 11 points after seven races.
Their nearest opponents, Germans Julian Mattwig and Mattias Henning also had their worst race, finishing 21st which as their discard, gives them a net 16 points.
Third crew on the leader board, British sailors Lucy and Cally Terkelsen have a net score of 24 points.
Several Australians crews had their best results of the regatta overnight, with Olivia Neilson and Gabriel Nolan, from RGYC, placing sixth to move up the ladder from 12th to 9th place overall.
Louis Schofield and Peter Allen from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria are 10th overall, with Emily Goodfellow and Emma Kelly, also from Royal Geelong moving from 13th to 11th overall.
Tasmanians Silas Hamilton and Ethan Galbraith from Sandy Bay Sailing Club moved up from 22nd to 18th overall with Emily Patching and Isobel Royle also improving to now be 20th overall.
Six Australians are now in the top 20 of the 48 boat international fleet.
For the first time in nearly two weeks of sailing the fleet launched into a light westerly wind, most boats accepting a tow out into the bay.
Immediately after the start a complex and spectacular cloud formation rolled down the course and as the fleet approached the windward mark for the first time a rain cloud killed the wind on the right side of the course and sucked more pressure in on the left, meaning that big gains were made by the vigilant, losses by the unwary.
As the fleet approached the windward mark for the first time a rain cloud killed the wind on the right side of the course.
On second beat cloud formations again created big wind shifts and pressure differences across the course, and this time those who went left were the gainers, including the Ukrainian crew of Igor Lvov and Maria Kulnashna who went on to win the race from the British sailors Lucy And Cally Terkelsen who are now third overall.
Series leaders, Australians Thomas and Sophie Alexander produced another impressive performance, clawing their way through the fleet after a poor first leg to finish seventh, retaining their overall lead.
The young sailors now have a lay day followed by two more days of racing to decide International Cadet World Champions for 2014.
– Peter Collyer/Peter Campbell
