A busy schedule was interrupted by the lack of wind on the waters off Aarhus, but it was enough for 470 duo Mat Belcher and Will Ryan to make a move up the leaderboard at the World Championshps in Denmark.

After a slow start to the regatta by their high standards, the defending Champions put together a win in the first gold fleet race to jump from 4th to 2nd, just a single net point behind leaders and 2018 European Champions Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergstrom of Sweden.

Chris Charlwood and Josh Dawson (L) and Mat Belcher and Will Ryan did their best in the light conditions. PHOTO: Beau Outteridge

"We had quite a tricky land-orientated breeze, I guess," Ryan said. 

"Fortunately we managed to stay in touch on the first upwind and after that kind of clawed our way forward. It was a good day for us. It means that tomorrow's now going to be three races, it'll be moving day, plenty to play for. The points will be really tough for everyone, I think."

Australia's other 470M crew, Chris Charlwood and Josh Dawson came 12th.

"Going in to today we were feeling pretty good. We normally sail better in gold fleet than we do in silver fleet," Charlwood said.

Dawson added: "We had a good race today. It was very tough conditions ... We assume there will  be three races tomorrow and, if we do really well, maybe then the medal race. But we'll see."

There was some controversy in the Nacra 17s after Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin received a blag flag in their opening race before the dying wind spelt an end to competition for the day. Despite some murmurings, the outcome for the Rio silver medallists was that the disqualification would count and they would have to sit out the first race of the following day. The pair remain in 6th place.

It was something of a similar story in the 49er, where David Gilmour and Joel Turner crossed the line first in their fleet before racing was cancelled. Gilmour and Turner remain in 15th overall, with Will Phillips and Iain Jensen in 7th. The group will now be split into gold, silver and bronze fleets on the basis of their first six races – the minimum required for qualification - and race again on Wednesday.

In the 49erFX, only one race was held. The second fleet will race tomorrow to complete the qualifying round. Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot are the best placed Australians in 10th.

It was a frustrating day all round, but especially for the 470W and Finns, who had their races abandoned. The Laser Radial and Laser Standard competitors had the day off.

The breeze is forecast to remain light for the next couple of days before lifting again later in the week.

It was just one of those days for the majority of the Australian Team. PHOTO: Beau Outteridge

FAST FACTS

This is the fifth edition of the Sailing World Championships. The event is held every four years.

The previous World Championships were held at Cadiz, Spain (2003), Cascais, Portugal (2007), Perth, Australia (2011) and Santander, Spain (2014).

Australia won four medals at Santander: Mat Belcher and Will Ryan (gold 470M), Tom Burton (silver, Laser), Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (bronze, 49er) and Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (bronze, Nacra 17).

At the past three Olympic Games Australian sailors won five gold medals and four silver medals.

HOST SITE - www.aarhus2018.com

RESULTS

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AUSTRALIAN TEAM AND SQUAD RESULTS

Laser

Luke Elliott – (13), 1, 2, 6, 3, 1 – 2nd

Matt Wearn – (7), 4, 1, 4, 3, 1 – 3rd

Tom Burton – 1, 5, 6, 1, 2, (27) – 4th

Mitch Kennedy – 8, 10, (22), 3, 4, 5 – 11th

Finn Alexander – 6, 7, 5, (40), 16, 14 – 22nd

Laser Radial

Zoe Thomson – 28, 15, 4, 24, 5, (30) – 32nd

Elyse Ainsworth – 21, 27, 28, 23, 22, (38) – 56th

Mara Stransky – 27, 34, (43), 41, 41, 12 – 67th

49er

Will Phillips/Iain Jensen – 3, (19), 6, 1, 6, 12 – 7th

David Gilmour/Joel Turner – 5, 1, 15, 14, 2, (23) – 15th

Lachy Gilmour/Ryan Donaldson – 20, 13, 7, (26), 14, 7 – 43rd

Kurt Hansen/Harry Morton – 15, (27), 18, 18, 17, 18 – 67th

49erFX

Natasha Bryant/Annie Wilmot - 7, 13, (14), 1, 9 – 10th

Amelia Stabback/Ella Clark - 5, 5, 13, 12, (17) – 14th

Tess Lloyd/Jaime Ryan – (21), 20, 18, 17, 8 – 41st

Nacra 17

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

Nathan Outteridge/Haylee Outteridge – 5, 5, (13) – 11th

Paul Darmanin/Lucy Copeland – (20), 14, 5 – 23rd

Conor Nicholas/Hayley Clark – 11, (31), 21 – 36th

Finn

Jake Lilley – 20, (23), 6, 2, 15, 9 – 23rd

(Tom Slingsby) – 11, 18, 16, 17, 18, (21) – 37th

Oliver Tweddell – 11, 17, (24), 21, 24, 15 – 41st

Lewis Brake – (34), 14, 23, 17, 30, 30 – 50th

Jock Calvert – (44), 24, 17, 26, 30, 25 – 53rd

470M

Mat Belcher/Will Ryan – 3, (13), 8, 4, 2, 4 Gold Fleet 1 – 2nd

Chris Charlwood/Josh Dawson – 19, 12, 10, (20), 9, 16 Gold Fleet 12 – 25th

470W

Nia Jerwood/Monique de Vries – (35), 16, 14, 22, 29, 24 – 25th

Dana Tavener/Katherine Shannon – 27, 41, 26, 40, 41, (46) – 42nd

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