A win for Percy and Simpson in the Star, a second for Britain’s Alison Young in the Laser Radials there was early relief for Brits



Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson nailed the first of two Star races today, winning by a big margin over Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada who finished in second place. Winning the race helped to place one more point between them and their main rivals.

Half way through the second race the order had been reversed with the Brazilians leading the Brits, albeit by a smaller margin.

If the British duo could come away with a second they would have shared a point each and maintained the lead that they had taken yesterday.

But the British sailor that everyone was talking about, (at last in my opinion), was Alison Young in the Laser Radial class. In her first race she finished second to Ireland’s Annalise Murphy. In the second race the pair did the same in the early stages to lead the fleet in the early going, a position they held until the finish. Murphy has simply been outstanding with four bullets while Young is providing some much needed British therapy as she moves up into 4th overall. These are the pair to watch in the Radials while the breeze is up, both have frequently done well at Sail fort Gold (held here in Weymouth). Both are tall powerful sailors that are seriously focussed and gaining confidence all the time.

In the 49er fleet there were signs that the Brits Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes had found some of the form that had gained them the place in the team.

They started their day with a strong performance, pulling themselves up from 6th to 3rd by the finish in the first race. In the second race they looked like doing the same until a capsize just before the first leeward gate saw them drop from fifth to 18th. A disappointing result but encouraging to see that the British pair has what it takes to get onto the podium.