Mara Stansky has finished the first day of the Laser Radial Worlds in a top ten spot.  The conditions were difficult today for the sailors and race officers with shifty lights winds swinging South to South East at 8 to 15 knots.  Only one race was completed per fleet as race management struggled to set the course.  Blue Fleet had their race abandoned at the first top mark after a dramatic shift on the line. 

Australian Sailing Team member Mara Stransky had a solid start with a fifth place after finding herself back in the fleet.  “I sailed a keeper for day one.  The wind wasn’t really playing ball and we were sent in with only one race.  I definitely didn’t get all the shifts on the first beat.  After that I tried to screw my head on a bit tighter and I went pretty well for the rest of the race.”

Fifteen-year-old Mina Ferguson had a great first day finishing two places behind Stransky in the Blue Fleet.  “It’s a really competitive fleet,” said Ferguson.  “It’s a lot tougher sailing with Olympians but it is good racing.  I had a really good day today so hopefully I can keep the consistency up.”  This is Ferguson’s first Open Worlds after she recently transitioned from the Laser 4.7.  Last year Ferguson represented Australia at the 2019 Youth World Championships in Poland.

Australian Sailing Squad (ASS) member Elyse Ainsworth had a slow start to her regatta placing 32nd in her race. “It was pretty tough,” said Ainsworth.  “I had a few strategic errors that set me back.  It was a day of limited mistakes but unfortunately I made quite a few.  I can reset for tomorrow and try again.”

In the Radial Men’s Australians make up half of the top ten.  Australia’s representative at this year’s Hempel Youth Sailing World Championships in Salvador, 17-year-old Michael Compton is coming second overall followed by Jordan Makin in third.

Three races are planned for tomorrow in expected light conditions.

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 One 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:
9th: Mara Stransky (AST) 5 – 5pts
63rd: Elyse Ainsworth 32 (AST) – 32pts

Other Australians in the Top Forty:
13th: Mina Ferguson 7 – 7pts
21st: Zoe Thomson 10 – 10pts

Laser Radial Men’s (66 entries – three days qualifying six races, then finals) Australians in the Top Ten:
2nd: Michael Compton 2 – 2 pts     
3rd: Jordan Makin 3 – 3 pts     
7th: Stefan Elliott-Shircore 7 – 7 pts     
9th: Rhett Gowans 9 – 9 pts
10th: Samuel King 10 – 10 pts

Photos: Jon West