Mistral World Championships - Day 4

DIFFICULT CONDITIONS UPSET BRITISH FORM

After yesterday's lay day, the 155 strong Mistral World Championship fleet resumed their battle for the world title although in significantly less breeze. The local trade winds that funnel though the French Polynesian Islands failed to materialise, leaving the men's and women's fleets racing in a light and shifty breeze of only 8 - 12 knots.

Nick Dempsey (Peterborough) wasn't quite able to repeat the form he produced in the opening two days, posting a 25 and 44 to drop down the rankings to fourteenth although World Class Performance International level sailor Dominic Tidey (Bognor Regis, West Sussex) stayed more in tune with the weather change and moves up to fifteenth overall.

"My speed was good today after changing my overweight board. My tactics were solid in the second race and the 11th made up for getting forced the wrong side of the windward mark in the first race which cost me a stack of places" explained Dominic after racing.

Dempsey, meanwhile, will be looking to refocus his attentions on moving back into a top ten position for the remainder of the regatta, commenting: "I didn't feel on the ball today and I found the shifty and gusty conditions hard to read but with five races left I am looking forward to getting back out there and back in the top ten"

Three times World Champion Aaron McIntosh (New Zealand) reasserted his position at the head of the fleet with some faultless sailing and has a five point lead over pre Olympic Champion Lars Kleppich (Australia).

Christine Johnston (from Whitchurch in Hampshire) who was third overall after two days also struggled to find consistency in both her tactics and speed in the evidently difficult conditions and subsequently dropped down to thirteenth overall. Like the men's discipline, the fleet is now led by a Kiwi, defending champion and 1996 Olympic Silver Medallist Barbara Kendall.

NEW CALEDONIA: Mistral World Championships (after day 4):

Men Gold Fleet (after 6 races, 1 discard)
 1, Aaron McIntosh (Nzl) 1,1,3,2,22,1 -   8pts
 2, Lars Kleppich  (Aus) 2,2,14,3,3,3 -  13pts
 3, Tony Philip    (Fij) 3,1,7,4,1,7  -  16pts
British Placings:
14, Nick Dempsey     - 17,4,2,4,25,44 -  52pts
15, Dominic Tidey   - 9,18,5,10,37,11 -  53pts
48, Adrian Jones   - 7,OCS,19,6,48,48 - 129pts

Men Silver Fleet (after 6 races, 1 discard)
 1, Gao Chuanwei   (Chn) 16,23,29,36,5,5  -  78pts
 2, Alan Jackson   (GBR) 20,11,24,29,14,9 -  87pts
 3, Mo Zehai       (Chn) 24,20,DSQ,32,2,6 -  94pts
British Placings:
 5, Ben Proffitt      - 33,21,19,26,14,19 -  99pts
15, Matthew Wemms     - 34,22,37,25,23,14 - 118pts

Women's fleet (6 races. 1 discard)
1, Barbara Kendall (Nzl) 1,2,1,2,2,6     -   8pts
2, Natasha Sturges (Aus) 2,1,4,1,10,43   -  18pts
3, Jessica Crisp   (Aus) 9,5,9,4,3,2     -  23pts
British Placings:
13, Christine Johnston - 10,10,2,5,35,34 -  61pts
21, Helen Cartwright   - 25,23,8,9,33,26 -  91pts
48, Jessica Ash      - 53,45,43,54,38,57 - 233pts

For further information, please contact Nigel Cherrie on:
Email: nigel.cherrie@rya.org.uk
Website: www.rya.org.uk