Tasar World Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club - Day 1

Three races were completed for the first day of racing and overall leaders are Rob and Nicole Douglass of Australia, who won the opening race and followed it with a pair of second places to give them a 7 point lead.

In second are the British pair James Peters and Charlie Darling who finished the day with 12 points from a 4,5,3 score line. A protest, which could have dramatically change their position, was ruled invalid.

In third place are another Aussie pair, James and Tara Burman who won the final race to finish the day with 14 points and they are one point ahead of Rick Longbottom and Darryl Bentley, who won the second race, and are tied on 15 points with Paul and Bronwyn Ridgway.

It was a long day on the water for the 60 plus teams as Race Officer Mark Wood took advantage of the good conditions in the Bay to complete the maximum three races ahead of a possible bad weather warning for Tuesday.

Tasars return to shore after day 1 of the Tasar Worlds at Hayling Island - photo © Gerald New

If the thunderstorm forecast does cause the racing to be canned on Tuesday (decision by 10:00 hrs) then the Thursday lay-day will be used to catch-up with the programme.

The first race got away under a black-flag after a general recall and although their was a 15 deg wind shift the race team was able to reset the triangle for the second lap.

Winners were Rob and Nicole Douglass ahead of Michael Karas and Molly Jackson of the USA, with the Ridgeways in third.

Rob and Nicole Douglass (AUS 2848) lead after day 1 of the Tasar Worlds at Hayling Island - photo © Gerald New

The second race was again under the black flag, with two boats OCS. This was a win for Longbottom and Bentley ahead of Rob and Nicole Douglass, with another USA pair, Jay and Lisa Renehan taking third.

The third and final race went to James and Tara Burman (disproving the old wives tale about winning the practice race) ahead of Rob and Nicole Douglass, with Peters and Darling proving to be super-fast downwind to grab third.

So we wait now on a decision Tuesday morning... 'will they won't they' race ?

Results after Day 1: (top ten, 3 races, 67 entries)

Full results available here.