WAIS Sailors in Medal Contention at Youth World Champs

Tricky conditions have challenged crews on day two of the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Ireland with a number of Australians standing out.

The big movers on Sunday were Australia’s 420 girl’s crew of Carrie Smith and Ella Clark who started the day 13th overall.

The Western Australian Institute of Sport pair sailed well in all three races, finishing with a seventh, a race win and a sixth to jump up to second overall.

Smith and Clark are 11 points behind the leading British crew after the opening five races.

In the Laser Radial boy’s fleet, WAIS athlete Mark Spearman continues to hold down third overall following a 15th, a 13th and an eighth from the day’s three races.

Spearman is just five points adrift of the leading American and Italian crews in what is already proving to be a high scoring regatta.

“I sailed a consistent day in shifty conditions and was surprised to keep my third spot after a 15th, 13th, and an eighth,” said Spearman. “The racing was influenced a lot by the clouds today with windy squalls coming through which benefited the right hand side in a massive way.”

The 2012 Australian Youth Sailing Team is being supported in Ireland by coaches Brendan Todd, Tessa Parkinson and Ben Callard.

Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com

– Yachting Australia