49er racing underway in Qingdao
by Mark Jardine & Gael Pawson 10 Aug 2008 08:45 BST
9-21 August 2008
Slightly more wind on day two of the Olympic Sailing Regatta with 9 knots across Fushan Bay in Qingdao.
Today sees the first three races for the 49ers and two more races for the Finns and Ynglings.
49er Race 1
Solid start in the 49ers
The first race of the 49er class took place in a light five-knot breeze. The Danish team led round the first three marks, but dropped to second behind the much-favoured Spanish team of Iker Martinez & Xabi Fernandez at the finish. The Biritsh team of Stevie Morrison and Ban Rhodes were third round the first mark but dropped to record a respectable fourth at the finish.
In race two it was the Brits that led the way ahead of the Austrian team, but then dropped back to third, behind the Austrian team in second and the Australians who took the gun. That leaves the British team in second place overall, a single point behind the Danish team with one more race left for the day.
Finn Race 3
Consistent third race for Ben
The third race of the Finn class saw a little more breeze, with eight knots continuing a light-wind theme. Rounding the first mark fourth, Ben finished fourth behind the Spain's Rafael Trujillo, the USA's Zach Railey and Sweden's Daniel Birgmark, leaving him second overall six points behind Zach Railey.
Yngling Race 3
Yngling girls post another good one
The third Yngling race saw the Germans ahead at the first mark, with the French team of Anne Le Helley, Catherine Lepesant & Julie Gerecht moving into the front to eventually take the gun. The Dutch team of Mandy Mulder, Annemieke Bes & Merel Witteveen again showed their strength, posting a second, while the British team of Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson took a fourth behind the Finish team, leaving them in the lead overall, three points ahead of the Dutch.
More soon! Follow the racing live with mark by mark updates at ISAF Olympic microsite results centre.