Strong winds yesterday led to further races being abandoned on day three of the 2009 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta. However, after a two-hour delay, three classes saw some racing at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy – the men’s and women’s RS:X windsurfing classes and the 49ers.

Skandia Team GBR’s Bryony Shaw (pictured) closed the gap on Spain’s Blanca Manchon by winning the first women’s RS:X race of the day. That victory – her first of the regatta – put the Beijing 2008 Olympic bronze medallist just five points behind Manchon, who finished second.

But Manchon fought back to win the second race – her fourth victory out of the six contested to date. Italy’s Flavia Tartaglini came second, with Shaw crossing the line in fifth.

Shaw maintains her second place in the overall rankings on 15 points – nine behind Manchon. Tartaglini is third on 17. The Brit explained: “The first race today was a real breakthrough because the Spanish girl is going very quickly. I managed to pull away from her every downwind leg and maintain my lead. My confidence took quite a knock by not medalling at the World Championships, so this was a good confidence builder. I was really chuffed. I think I over complicated the second race a bit, trying to make gains that maybe weren’t there. But that was a good learner.”

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