After four races in the Fireball Worlds on Lake Garda the Thompson brothers Daniel and Harry (IRL) are leading the U25 division and sitting in 9th place overall in a fleet of 136 boats.
The young pair scored a 4th in race three and even with a capsize in race four still managed to finish 26th to get into the top ten overall. Speaking about yesterday's exhilarating conditions, classic Garda Ora winds of 18 to 22 knots, Daniel Thompson credited the practice the pair have put in to improve boat handling and manoeuvres to get them up the rankings in such a large and highly talented fleet. With the full tilt Ora winds the pair focused on getting a clean start and sailing free and fast in "bow down" mode towards the right hand cliffs seeking the best pressure, and then sailing up along the cliffs to stay inside that pressure. There are three other Irish teams inside the top 30 at the event, showing the strength of the National Fleet against International competition.
Conor Twohig & Matthew Cotter are in 13th place, Chris Bateman & Lucy Loughton in 19th, Ed Og Butler & Iso Inan in 23rd. All 10 Irish teams are enjoying the tough but exciting conditions at one of the world's great sailing venues. Courses are slightly unusual - a very long beat and triangle followed by a sausage with an offset finish. So courses are somewhat deeper on the offwind legs than usual. Target times for races are 50 minutes and that is being achieved.
Leading the event overall are DJ Edwards & Vyv Townend (UK) with three races wins and a third placing giving them clear water ahead of Brendan Garner & Ben O'Brien (Aus) and father and son team of Graham & William Cook (UK).
Remarkably the event favourites Tom Gillard & Shandy Thompson are lying fourth overall, 44 points adrift of the leaders. With six races left in the series however the field is still open and if conditions remain as strong bodies and boats could yet show the strain and there is still scope for surprises. Today Tuesday looks a little cloudier and there is rain forecast for later in the week so conditions could change.
Racing on Monday was in lighter than expected winds when clouds and a rain shower created shiftier and less predictable winds across the course.