Flat calm means extra race today

SAILING:WEATHER CONFOUNDED plans for two races at the Etchells World Championship at Howth yesterday, prompting organisers to extend today's programme to re-sail race eight plus the final – weather permitting.

Ante Razmillovic’s Swedish Blue closed the gap on fleet leader John Bertrand to five points yesterday when he scored a second place to the Australian’s fourth in the morning race.

Yesterday afternoon’s scheduled race eight started in light airs that gradually disintegrated into flat calm. With barely a handful of boats around the second mark and as the breeze died completely, the ebb tide took full effect and swept a large bunch of boats past the mark and these were unable to sail back to round correctly.

Within minutes of the abandonment signal, the breeze had returned to the course and protests for redress later by some of the leading boats were dismissed in favour of two races today.