SAILING:Light winds and tides on the north coast further hampered progress for the leading boats in the Round Ireland Race. Former round the world entry Green Dragon was under pressure as the largest entry as the battle for line honours hots up.

By yesterday afternoon, 2010 race winner Tonnerre de Breskens had closed to less than one mile as the front-runners started southwards along the Irish Sea to the finish at Wicklow Sailing Club.

While Green Dragon is 70 feet with a canting keel, the Dutch rival is just 46 feet and has a much lower handicap, which counts in the hunt for the overall race win. As far as that competition stands, French entry Inis Mor, skippered by Bernard Gouy, continued to be listed as the provisional overall race leader on IRC handicap, though the light conditions could yet open it up to candidates other than the smaller boats.