Australian Sailing Team member Mara Stransky has moved up to 14th overall after finishing eighth in the only race on day three of the Laser Women’s Radial World Championships.  It was another frustrating day for sailors who were held ashore while a Northerly and Southerly fought each other on the race course.

Sailors were sent out eventually only to be sent back after lightning forced another postponement.  At 5pm competitors were sent out again to complete one race per fleet.

“No one really knew if we were going back out again.  It was all pretty uncertain with thunderstorms rolling through,” said Stransky.  “It required a mental reset after hanging around on shore for so long.  It was intense once we got back out there but I’m glad we got one race in at least.”

Australian Sailing Squad member Elyse Ainsworth also moved up a few spots after finishing 20th, taking her to 38th overall. “I was stoked with my performance today,” said Ainsworth.  “I was able to hold my own on the course which is something I’ve been working on.”

Provisional Australian Youth Sailing Team member Mina Ferguson slipped down the leader board to 35th overall after capsizing early in the race.  “At the bottom of the first downwind I capsized trying to pull my controls on and lost heaps,” Ferguson said.

Australian Zoe Thomson had a tough day after getting her rig tangled with another competitor rounding a mark and capsizing.

Zac Littlewood posted a bullet in the men’s fleet jumping him from tenth to fifth overall.  “I had a good start and sent it out to the left,” said Littlewood.  “I played the shifts, had good down winds and boat speed.”  Michael Compton remains the highest place Australian in second place after finishing 14th.

Finals were meant to start tomorrow, but with only three races completed more qualifying races have been scheduled. The qualifying series requires a minimum of four races before the fleet can be divided into Gold and Silver Fleets for the women.  Heavy winds are predicted for day four of racing.

For more information on the 2020 ILCA Laser Radial Women's World Championship and full results visit: https://sailing.laserinternational.org/public/site/event-site/110

Day Three Results:
Laser Radial Women’s (105 entries – two fleets of 50+, three days qualifying six races, then finals) 
Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (ASS) entries:
14th: Mara Stransky (AST) 5, 22, 8 – 35 pts
38th: Elyse Ainsworth (AST) 32, 11, 20 – 63 pts

Other Australians in the Top Forty:
25th: Zoe Thomson 10, 14, 28 – 52 pts
35th: Mina Ferguson 7, 16, 37 – 60 pts

Laser Radial Men’s (66 entries – three days qualifying six races, then finals) Australians in the Top Ten:
2nd: Michael Compton 2, 3, 14 – 19 pts     
4th: Jordan Makin 3, 15, 11 – 29 pts     
5th: Zac Littlewood 25, 5, 1 – 31 pts
6th: Brody Riley 18, 8, 5 – 31 pts
7th: Rhett Gowans 9, 12, 15 – 36 pts
8th: Daniel Costandi 14, 6, 19 – 39 pts

Photos: Jon West Photography