Australia’s 420 girls crew of Carrie Smith and Ella Clark have hit the lead on day three of the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Ireland following a perfect two wins from two starts.

 

The West Australian teenagers started the day second overall, 11 points adrift of their British competitors, and went on to win both races on Monday to take the lead on a count back.

 

“Today was a great day, the conditions were tricky but suited our style of sailing,” said Smith. “We won both races confidently, but there is still a long way to go. We’re happy with our position but looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!”

 

Smith and Clark have now won three of the seven races contested so far, with top seven finishes in a further three.

 

In the multihull class Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland continue to hold down second position, with the Sydney pair finishing second and third in the day’s two races to be seven points behind the leading British sailors and two ahead of the third placed Belgian crew.

 

“It was another shifty day on the water with large changes in wind strength and direction,” said Darmanin. “We got two good starts today and battled in the top three in both races to get a second and a third.

 

“The top three crews are starting to separate from the rest of the fleet making it really close and tough racing,” he said.

 

In the Laser Radial boys class Mark Spearman has dropped one place to be fourth overall and is in the hunt for a podium position after the opening seven races.

 

Spearman, competing at his first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, was 12^th in race one on Monday and 10^th in race two.

 

“I had another consistent day on the water with a 12^th and a 10^th,” said Spearman. “This moved me back to fourth overall but I’ve got the most consistent score line of all the top ten so I’m happy with this position and am keen to get some top eight results after the lay day.”

 

Fellow Laser Radial sailor Louise Evans is 13^th overall in the girls fleet following a fifth and a 27^th in the challenging conditions with torrential rain and reduced visibility throughout the day.

 

“The first race was a beautiful 10 to 15 knots and I managed to work my way up the fleet to fifth,” said Evans. “Unfortunately the second race did not go the same way with a bad start and a few bad decisions putting me at the back of the fleet. However, as the wind increased I managed to gain positions and finish 27^th.”

Tom Siganto and Joel Turner sit seventh in the 29er fleet with the Queensland pair crossing the line ninth and 10^th in the day’s two races.

 

“The rain clouds came in over the course today which kept the breeze constantly shifting and varying in strength,” said Siganto. “Unfortunately we had another breakage on the boat with our spinnaker pole splitting along with a twisted halyard inside the mast which made for some more boat work once we got on shore.

 

“We finished the day with a ninth and a 10^th which are not terrible results as they keep us inside the top 10 in the overall standings,” he said.

 

In the 420 boys fleet Tom Klemens and James Oliver are 24^th overall, with the pair finishing 25^th in race one and 11^th in race two.

 

Annalise Gilbert has moved up from her overnight 17^th in the RS:X girls class to end day three 14^th overall following her best day of the regatta so far with an eighth and a 10^th.

 

“We had another late start to the day, racing in afternoon after the 29ers,” said Gilbert. “This allowed for us to race in some strong breeze which was lots of fun, for the first time here I was planning all around the course.

 

“The downwinds were crazy, scary at times but still lots of fun,” she said. “I nailed both of my starts and scored my best two results, finishing both races in the top 10 with an eighth and a 10^th leaving me 14^th overall.”

 

Sam Treharne is 16^th in the RS:X boys fleet after a 23^rd and a 22nd.

 

In the Nations Trophy Australia has moved up from sixth to be fourth overall.

 

Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com.