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25 August 2005, 12:00 am

Day 3 Sees The Competition Stiffen

African Optimist Championship 2005

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

After nine races in near perfect conditions Ahmed RAGAB of Egypt with two bullets has opened up a substantial lead over his African rivals to lie in a precarious second place he is still involved in a close tussle with two of the Danish visitors.

Laerke LOKDAM the female sailor is leading by three points and Kristian KIRKETERP lying in third. There are only five points seperating these sailors so the competition is still open.

With another Danish female Stephanie NISSEN lying in fourth, the South African Dylan EMMET in fifth and Wassim ZIANI from Algeria holding tight onto sixth, the battle is on for the minor places with only seven points seperating them this championship is far from over.

It should perhaps be explained that neither the Danes nor the South Africans are their countries' first-choice teams. The Optimist Class encourages stronger countries to extend selection beyond the sailors selected for their Worlds and Europeans teams which at the same time gives a target for lower ranked sailors in those countries and a less one-sided championship for the new countries.