A sudden switch in wind direction on the eve of racing called on sailors to remain agile - and the Australian contingent responded with solid results as the first Olympic Test Event in Japan got underway.

Laser ace Matt Wearn and Nacra 17 crew Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin are the best placed Australians at Enoshima Yacht Harbour, in third and fourth in their respective fleets.

“It’s awesome to be here in Enoshima and get racing again. … It was super puffy and pretty hard,” Darmanin said.

Results improved as the day progressed for Waterhouse and Darmanin. PHOTO: Jesus Renedo

“I guess the results aren’t the most important thing here, learning the venue is. We’ve seen 10 days of onshore [wind] and this is the first day of offshore. To see it and to race in it is really important and will help us to know what to train when we go home.”

The conditions tested world No.1 470 crew Mat Belcher and Will Ryan as much as anyone else.

“For the last two or three weeks we’ve had a southerly direction and, typical day one, we’re getting a northerly direction. It’s really tricky and interesting,” Belcher said.

Mat Belcher and Will Ryan in full flight. PHOTO: Jesus Renedo

“We had a third and about a 10th or 15th - we came back pretty well through each of the races and we’re learning a lot from these conditions. I think we’ve got another four days of a northerly direction, so it should be pretty good to hopefully get an understanding for a couple of years’ time.”

EVENT SITE
FULL RESULTS
 

470M:

Mat Belcher/Will Ryan - 3, 15 - 8th

Chris Charlwood/Josh Dawson - RET, 5 - 16th

470W:

Nia Jerwood/Monique de Vries - 7, 11 - 10th

Nacra 17:

Jason Waterhouse/Lisa Darmanin - (6), 5, 3 - 4th

Nathan Outteridge/Haylee Outteridge - 8, (9), 6 - 10th

49erFX:

Natasha Bryant/Annie Wilmot - 16, 4, (17) - 15th

49er:

David Gilmour/Lachy Gilmour - 5, (25), 10 - 7th

Finn:

Jake Lilley - 18, 14 - 17th

Laser Radial:

Zoe Thomson - 37, 31 - 35th

Elyse Ainsworth - 35, 36 - 37th

Laser:

Matt Wearn - 3, 12 - 3rd

Tom Burton - 19, 8 - 13th

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