AT THE Spa Olympic Regatta in Medemblik, Holland, yesterday, Belfast Finn class sailor John Driscoll opened the five day event with a first place in his 24 boat class.

The result follows a good showing at the recent Finn Gold Cup where he finished 13th overall.

Six of the 10 confirmed sailors on the Irish Olympic sailing squad are attending this eventual though some classes are treating it as a training regatta rather than seeking a top result. Men's 470 hopefuls John Lavery and Ben O'Donoghue are hoping to attain their A Card for selection to team.

The Soling trio of Marshall King, Dan O'Grady and Garrett Connolly also performed well in race one yesterday, returning a 12th placing and beating several notable boats such as Dane Stig Westergaard (19th) and Britain's Andy Beadsworth (16th). A top eight finish by the weekend will qualify the Irish boat for the match racing finals.

Laser sailor Mark Lyttle had a 12th and 20th placings in the first two races while his sister Denise, with Louise Ann Cole had a 16th in the 470 Women's fleet after a single race dominated by shifting winds that saw the pair change and down the pack before the wind died completely.

Europe class sailor Aishling Bowman had a mixed day finishing 20th in race one and fifth in race two to make 18th overall in the 77 boat class. Maria Coleman of Baltimore added to her Sydney 2000 hopes with a 12th and 34th to finish 32nd overall.