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14 July 2005, 10:23 am

American Challenge Emerges

Silva J/80 World Championship 2005

Falmouth, Great Britain

Wednesday was a crucial day for both the competitors at the Silva J/80 World Championship in Falmouth, Great Britain and for the race management team at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club. With the week so far dominated by very light airs, the concern has been to run fair and competitive racing and to ensure that a series of at least five races is completed.

A discard is included once six races have been sailed and with some clever shimmying of the race area by PRO Jeff MARTIN this was where the competitors found themselves at the close of play yesterday.

Race five commenced after a short postponement ashore, in six to nine knots of southerly breeze, again in Carrick Roads rather than out in Falmouth Bay. A general recall was followed by a black flag start and the 'lucky left' was once again the favoured option for those that could get there from the pin end. Glen DARDEN (USA), sailing Red Sky Glide, worked his way up through the fleet and by the leeward mark had established a clear lead. At the gun is was Red Sky Glide first, overnight leader Mikael LINDQUIST (SWE), sailing Team SBAB, second and Ruairidh SCOTT (GBR) in Team Volvo third.

The American wining streak continued in race six (which was sailed in a particularly irksome dying breeze), with Red Sky Glide once again leaving the rest of the fleet for dead. With patience and tactical brilliance tested all around the race track, French favourite Laurent ABIGNOLI in Tendrisse slotted in a second which his best result of a strong and consistent series so far. Third place went to Michael SUNDELIN (SWE) in Tyra.

Boat of the day then was Red Sky Glide, and at the prizegiving at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club the American team dedicated their two wins to fellow American and renowned J/80 sailor Steve HAMMERMAN, who was in hospital yesterday being operated on for cancer. The whole class wishes him well and wishes him here.

Only eight points now separate the top five boats at this regatta, the breeze today will hopefully allow a course to be set out in the bay, and it's going to be a scorcher in more ways than one.

Top Ten After Six Races

Pos	Nation	Boat	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1	SWE	Team SBAB	Mikael LINDQUIST	6	4	1	5	2	(24)	18
2	USA	Red Sky Glide	Glenn DARDEN	12	2	4	(20)	1	1	20
3	GBR	Volvo	Ruairidh SCOTT	(14)	1	2	2	3	13	21
4	GBR	Silva Dream Machine	Kevin SPROUL	7	3	5	3	(13)	4	22
5	FRA	Tendrisse	L ABIGNOLI	5	8	7	(10)	4	2	26
6	GER	Needles and Pins	Peter HECHT-ULRICH MUENKER	2	(21)	12	13	6	7	40
7	SWE	Tyra	Michael SUNDELIN	4	19	(DSQ)	1	14	3	41
8	FRA	J' Suis	Eric BREZELLEC	1	(BFD)	24	12	7	9	53
9	SWE	Parbleu V	Charlotte DAHL	(36)	16	13	7	17	5	58
10	GBR	JSM	Stephen HILLS	10	11	(19)	9	12	17	59