As the halfway point in the Sailing World Championships at Melbourne passes, the Irish squad at the massive event are encountering mixed fortunes. In the Europe single-handed fleet, Maria Coleman leads the Irish sailors in overall performance and lies seventh in her class.
Finn class single-hander John Driscoll is also hitting form with a ninth and 29th place yesterday bringing him into 13th place overall.
David Burrows is currently 34th overall, just four places ahead of Colin Chapman, the third Irish Finn contender. Former Olympian Bill O'Hara, the Irish Team Manager, said yesterday that he expected both the Europe and Finn sailors to qualify Ireland for a nomination in both these classes in addition to the Laser class nomination achieved last year at the ISAF World Sailing Championships in Dubai.
Jon Lasenby was the Laser sailor who brought home that result in Dubai and although he appears to be struggling in 30th place overall, he is well inside the class Gold fleet that comprises 71 boats.
The double-handers are a different matter entirely. Mel Collins and Fraser Brown were unlucky yesterday when mast damage forced them out of two races.
Rudder damage saw the 470 crew of Tom Fitzpatrick and David McHugh drop out of the Silver fleet into second overall in the bronze fleet. Selection rivals Gerbil Owens and Philip Lawton are 10th overall in the same division. In the 470 Women's event, Laura Dillon and Ciara Peelo are 15th overall in their Silver fleet.
