Consistent Kuszneirewicz

Ainslie pulls back on day two of the Finn Europeans in La Rochelle

At the end of day two of the Finn Europeans in La Rochelle, Polish sailor Mateusz Kusznierewicz has hung on to his lead having scored this third consecutive second place in today's only race.

After a disappointing 28th place in race one yesterday, today saw a return to form of World Champion Ben Ainslie, who easily won today's race. "It was another tricky race. The left side was favoured again, but frankly no one here can explain why!" admitted the triple Finn World Champion.

Racing started with a light and steady 10 knots breeze and sunny conditions. Big black clouds and rain suddenly arrived, changing the temperature and wind. Ainslie led the fleet around the first mark with Chinese sailor Liu Bo on his tail. While Ainslie pulled out on the fleet, Bo dropped some places on the run crossing the finish line in 8th position as downwind specialists and Finn heavyweights Kusznierewicz, Sebastien Godefroid and Emilios Papathanasiou climbed to the top of the fleet after the first downwind leg to finish the race second, third and fourth respectively.

Ismael Bruno was the first French finisher in fifth place. "Ismael decided to change his equipment today and it responded better to these conditions." explained his coach, Patrice Guadagnin.

After three races, Kusznierewicz has a small lead over Godefroid while Guillaume Florent, selected recently in in Hyéres to represent France in Athens is in third position, two points ahead of the young Dane Jonas Hogh- Christensen.

The battle for Olympic selection continues between the New-Zealanders. Clifton Webb is leading the score in fifth place while Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, 6th today, is ninth in front of Peter Fox in tenth position.

Richard Clarke is leading the Canadian selection in 13th place. "We have to place in the top 12 to be qualified for Athens," explains the former illbruck Volvo Ocean Race crewman. The other Canadian, Chris Cook is laying in 28th position.

US Finn representative Kevin Hall decided to stop racing to recover from a knee injury before the next regatta. Luca Devoti has also stopped after two races.

First Junior today is Ukrainian Oleksiy Borysov in 28th positon. He is also leading the overall Junior results in 43rd place, with Tapio Nirkko 45th and Lei Gong 46th.

In the country battle for Olympic qualifications, Alejandro Colla places Argentina in the top of the list in 24th position. Russia is next with Vladimir Krutskikh 26th. The first Chinese, Liu Bo is 31st.

Two races are scheduled for tomorrow. The weather forecast is for 10 to 12 knots from the northwest and flat water.

Top 50 results

Pos	Sailor	Nat	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1	KUSZNIEREWICZ Mateusz	POL	2	2	2	6
2	GODEFROID Sébastien	BEL	1	6	3	10
3	FLORENT Guillaume	FRA	11	5	9	25
4	HOGH-CHRISTENSEN Jonas	DEN	13	7	7	27
5	WEBB Clifton	NZL	3	9	19	31
6	AINSLIE Ben	GBR	28	4	1	33
7	PAPATHANASIOU Emilios	GRE	29	1	4	34
8	HOLM Soren	DEN	5	10	25	40
9	BARKER Dean	NZL	4	37	6	47
10	FOX Peter	NZL	6	15	35	56
11	O'GRADY Aaron	IRL	7	22	29	58
12	SIGNORINI JoÆo	BRA	20	24	15	59
13	CLARKE Richard	CAN	17	35	11	63
14	SIMPSON Andrew	GBR	41	3	24	68
15	SZUKIEL Rafal	POL	9	12	49	70
16	ZIELHUIS Jaap	NED	8	54	10	72
17	ADAKAN Ali Enver	TUR	14	46	12	72
18	KURET Karlo	CRO	21	26	26	73
19	NOSSITER Anthony	AUS	53	8	13	74
20	VIALI Nenad	CRO	34	16	31	81
21	FELLMANN Michael	GER	52	11	20	83
22	TRUJILLO Rafael	ESP	33	17	33	83
23	MISURA Marin	CRO	19	42	23	84
24	COLLA Alejandro	ARG	43	28	18	89
25	BRUNO Ismaël	FRA	32	53	5	90
26	KRUTSKIKH Vladimir	RUS	44	25	21	90
27	MARCHESINI Michele	ITALIE	26	21	43	90
28	COOK Christopher	CAN	12	32	47	91
29	TILLANDER Johan	SWE	10	20	63	93
30	BIRGMARK Daniel	SWE	31	18	44	93
31	LIU Bo	CHN	24	69	8	101
32	MUELLER VON BLUMENCRON Othmar	SUI	51	13	38	102
33	VINCEC Gasper	SLO	40	50	14	104
34	HAJDU Balazs	HUN	15	51	39	105
35	ADERMAN Kristian	SWE	42	23	40	105
36	BURROWS David	IRL	54	38	16	108
37	RAUDASCHL Florian	AUT	16	64	30	110
38	BURGER Christoph	SUI	35	43	37	115
39	HOWARD Matthew	GBR	46	48	27	121
40	ALSOGARAY Julio	ARG	58	47	17	122
41	WILLEMS Sander	NED	18	70	34	122
42	DE VRIES Stefan	NED	27	61	36	124
43	BORYSOV Oleksiy	UKR	70	27	28	125
44	CHERNOV Evgeny	RUS	64	29	32	125
45	NIRKKO Tapio	FIN	36	36	61	133
46	GONG Lei	CHN	30	14	BFD	135
47	BOYD Bryan	USA	23	44	69	136
48	THEURER Peter	SUI	49	31	56	136
49	JACOB Youen	IRLANDE	56	45	41	142
50	HALL Kevin	USA	22	30	DNC	143