Awaiting the discard

Scott Wallis the British hope at the Oppie Worlds in Brazil

Britain’s young sailors will be looking forward to the discard coming into play when the 2009 International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) World Sailing Championships resume in Niteroi, Brazil tomorrow.

Having won selection for the Worlds following his third-placed finish at the Volvo Musto Optimist World / European Selection Trials at Pwllheli in April, Spinnaker Sailing Club’s Scott Wallis is currently Britain’s top placed sailor in 59th spot overall.

But carrying an OCS, and with his five-race series to date including scores of a sixth and a 14th, the 13-year-old talent will hope to sidle up the leaderboard once the sailors’ lowest score can be thrown out after the next race, which is race six.

Also sitting nestled in the top half of the 211-strong Worlds fleet in Brazil is 15-year-old Craig Dibb from Warsash Sailing Club in 71st place, Dibb having claimed third at May’s Volvo Musto Optimist Inland Championships at Grafham Water and fifth at the Worlds selection trials.

The Optimist Worlds got underway in Niteroi last Thursday and following a three-day break from the individual fleet racing programme for the two-day World Optimist Team Racing Championships and today’s lay day, the final three days of the battle for the 2009 Optimist World Championship title get underway tomorrow.

Britain’s three remaining team members - Sophie Hamilton (Burghfield SC), Josh Sparks (Royal Lymington YC) and Annabel Vose (Royal Southern YC) - lie in 133rd, 174th and 178th respectively.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast of Scotland, the 2009 Volvo Musto Optimist British Open and National Championships are continuing at Largs Sailing Club. Having lost day two to a lack of breeze yesterday, the sailors have been overcoming the elements in the Firth of Clyde today with some quality racing on display.