Marit Bouwmeester (NED) opened up a 24 point lead after eight races in the Laser Radial after yet another fantastic day at the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta.
After two big wind days the conditions were lighter and shiftier with winds ranging from 9-12 knots. Bouwmeester proved she could handle the big conditions two days ago and after a reserve day she showed she could lead the fleet in the lighter winds and recorded her fourth bullet in Race 8 after a second place in Race 7.
The World #1 and ISAF Sailing World Cup Laser Radial title holder has been the standout sailor in the Laser Radial and with seven top three finishes out of eight races she goes into Races 9 and 10 with a strong lead.
World #2 Evi Van Acker (BEL) won Race 7 but hasn't shown the consistency of Bouwmeester and is second on 35 points. Paige Railey (USA) is in third place on 56 points following a sixth in Race 7 before discarding an OCS in Race 8.
Silja Lehtinen (FIN) advanced to the Final of the Women's Match Racing competition in style as she breezed past Sally Barkow (USA) 3-0 in the first semi final. But in the second Semi Final Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) was made to work against Claire Leroy (FRA).
The Russian went 2-0 up against the World #1 French match racer but Leroy fought back hard to level the tie. It all boiled down to the final race and Leroy had the better of the pre-start forcing Skudina to the right hand side of the course. But Skudina rounded the first mark ahead and gradually extended her lead to win by four boat lengths to advance to the final. . In the Petit Final Leroy faced Barkow to decide the bronze medal. And in the first two races penalties ultimately cost Leroy the race wins as she went 2-0 down. But she was unable to replicate her comeback against Skudina and lost the third flight by four boat lengths.
Skudina and Lehtinen will meet in the Final on Thursday to decide the gold medal. The Women's RS:X sailors are currently sailing their tenth race of the regatta. This report will be updated shortly.
Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark (GBR) continue to lead the Women's 470 but their lead has been cut from ten to eight points after eight races. Mills and Clark finished second in Race 7 and discarded their ninth place in Race 8 to end the day on 24 points. Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata (JPN) had a steady day on the water coming third and fifth to close the gap slightly on the leaders.
The day belonged to Brazil's Fernanda Oliveira and Ana Luiza Barbachan. The World #15 Brazilians won Race 7 by 45 seconds over Mills and Clark before coming second to Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout (NED) in Race 8. They move up to third place on 38 points.
The 49ers, Finns and Stars resume sailing on Wednesday after their reserve day and the 470, Laser and Laser Radials continue.
