Sailing/Flying 15 World Championship: Day two of the pre-events series for the Subaru Flying 15 World Championship saw a significant shift in the leading pack of the 99-strong fleet, writes David Branigan.
Overnight leaders Richard Estaugh, with Tim Harper, has been replaced by the Welsh husband and wife team of Nick and Janet Jerwood.
The pair won the British National Championship in 2000 before emigrating to Perth and are sailing this series as part of a Western Australian team. A fourth and a second yesterday count alongside a win in the opening race of the pre-worlds.
Irish crews have also moved into contention in this preliminary stage to next week's world series. A second and a third place yesterday brought John Lavery and David O'Brien into second overall and top Irish crew.
With just two races today, the National Yacht Club pair seem determined to repeat their 1995 Fireball World title win on home waters.
The conditions on Dublin Bay yesterday were not handing out certainties and after the strong winds of Tuesday, many crews felt the pain yesterday.
"It's been a long, hard day," said O'Brien. "The wind was very light on the final beat and the whole fleet bunched up at the finish. We were just pipped on the line. It was nerve-racking."
"It was hard work and very unpredictable," said Seán Craig. "The wind defied the weather forecast that predicted a backing breeze all day."
A third and a 10th for Craig and crewman Stephen Boyle brought them up from 10th to seventh in another improvement for Irish crews.
Meanwhile, previous leaders Estaugh and Harper slipped back to fourth overall after a seemingly unassailable 15-point lead. The Jerwoods have a 12-point lead. Britain's Charles and David Apthorp had a race win yesterday afternoon to place fifth overall.
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