| Roller-Coaster of Results for British Sailors at Youth Worlds |
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 Day two of racing at the 36th Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, proved to be a challenge for the British sailors that make up Volvo RYA GBR Youth Worlds Team as they took on the other 62 nations vying for medals, the Volvo Trophy and the chance to make their nations proud.With winds ranging from 10-15 knots, the British team drew a mixed bag of results but continue to rise in the overall rankings and gain valuable points. Tom Phipps and Richard Glover extended on their lead with two bullets today. The Hobie 16 fleet is familiar to Phipps who has already pocketed gold and silver medals from the last two Youth Worlds. Phipps of Falmouth and local Weymouth sailor Glover have paired together for the first time and are proving that they are a team who have what it takes to win at this event. With five races under their belts the duo are lying in pole position with a solid 15 point lead after winning the last race by over two minutes. “We had some good starts today and with the wind remaining fairly consistent we were able to take the fleet.” Phipps explained. “I’ve been working on downwind speed for the last couple of years and it’s really paying off here. That’s where our edge is.” Beth Williamson had a mixed day on the RS:X. With an OCS (on course side) in the opening race, Williamson sailed the first leg before being told she had been disqualified. “I was pushing it a little hard on the start and was early on the line. I dipped back a few times but must have been just over the line when the start gun went. Not the best way to start a race day!” With a disappointing beginning to the day, Williamson, from Liverpool, managed to pull back in the second race and after an exciting battle with Hei Man Chan from Hong Kong she finished in sixth place and in eigth overall. “I was a bit more conservative in the second race, but on the last leg I could see that Chan was not far behind me. I just couldn’t let her get past and I was pumping like mad to make sure I held the edge over her. I was exhausted at the end of it but got the result I needed.” With two races completed Williamson came off the water with a positive attitude, looking to how she can continue to move up the top ten ladder. “I want to finish this event in the top five. It’s still early days and there are a lot more races to go so I’m remaining optimistic.” The RS:X boys fleet continued to fight fiercely for medals. Richard Hamilton made himself known on the course with a 2, 3 finish today. Lying in fourth position overall the Barrow-upon Humber windsurfer is eight points off the podium. Teamwork was what sent Lymington’s Sophie Weguelin and Katrina Hughes of Leigh-on-Sea charging up the 420 leaderboard. The pair will add a fifth and seventh to their results putting them in seventh overall and nine points away from the top three. With four more days of racing remaining, the girls will have the opportunity to drop their current low score of 15th propelling them towards a medal. They will need to remain consistent in the days to come. “We were talking a lot more in the boat today.” Hughes explained. “The wind was more stable and because it was stronger today we had an edge on the smaller crews.” Also in the 420, Richard Mason and Dan Schieber jumped the gun and drew an OCS in their first race. However, the pair closed the day with a third place in the second race and in eighth overall. With some solid results tomorrow Mason of Lymington and Englefield’s Schieber have a good chance to make it into the top five. Out on the orange course, Cardiff Laser sailor Sean Evans struggled to find clear air first thing this morning, getting caught in the middle of the pack and forced into 27th place. “I got stuck in with several boats and we hit a light patch of wind. I couldn’t pull back after that.” Evans detailed. Without letting the pressure to produce a good result get the better of him, Evans then produced a top finish in the second race as the breeze built. Evans, who favours a bit of wind finished in 6th place and 14th overall. Anna Dobson began to climb the rankings table moving into 11th place. With 7th place in the first race, Dobson wasn’t able to continue her form later in the afternoon and ended the day with a 23rd. Helensburgh’s Dobson will be aiming to take her place at the front of the fleet before the layday on Monday. Racing continues through to 20 July 2006. Complete results can be found on the event website www.youthworlds.org. Additional information on the Volvo RYA GBR Youth Worlds Team can be found on the RYA website, www.rya.org.uk/youth Related Items:
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