Baird moves into contention

But a poor day for Ian Williams' team at the Match Racing Worlds on Lake Garda

It's been another spectacular and exciting day in Riva del Garda, where the ISAF Match Racing World Championship is underway.

The Race Committee was able to complete Round Robin One and the first flight of Round Robin Two.

At the end of Round Robin One, four skippers have even scores, with 8 victories and 3 losses: Russell Coutts, Jesper Radich, Ed Baird and James Spithill - three skippers who are currently third, fourth and fifth in the world ranking list. With 7 wins and 4 losses, the French skipper Mathieu Richard follows the leaders.

The crews left the dock this morning at 8.30am, with a nice warm sun and a northerly breeze of 7-10 knots known by the locals as 'ballino'.

The Committee managed to complete two flights (number 9 and 10) in these light conditions before the breeze died out completely, giving the competitors the chance to enjoy lunch and a short rest at Fraglia Vela Riva.

Russell Coutts made the day for two young local sailors, who were sailing by the competitors fleet. Russell jumped on one of the two Lasers, to the joy of the young helmsman, for a short match race session. At 1.00 pm the notorious southerly breeze of Lake Garda, known as the 'ora', kicked in and by 1.30 the Race Committee was able to resume racing in blustery 20+ knots conditions.

The afternoon matches were particulary exciting in the strong breeze.

Two matches were decided right on the ending: the one between Gram-Hansen and Baird (flight 11 won by Gram Hansen), and the one between Coutts and Radich (flight 12 won by Radich), when Coutts had to complete a penalty turn.

A breakage on the tiller of Coutts's boat compromised his result in the match against Paolo Cian (flight 13), who was therefore able to score his fourth victory of Round Robin One.

Racing will resume tomorrow with the remaining flights of Round Robin Two.

More photos on page 2...

RESULTS AT THE END OF DAY TWO

Ed Baird, USA ­ 9 wins, 3 losses
Russell Coutts, New Zealand ­ 8 wins, 3 losses (1 race less sailed)
Jesper Radich, Denmark ­ 8 wins, 3 losses (1 race less sailed)
James Spithill, Australia ­ 8 wins, 4 losses
Mathieu Richard, France ­ 8 wins, 4 losses
Karol Jablonski, Poland ­ 7 wins, 5 losses
Jes Gram-Hansen, Denmark ­ 6 wins, 6 losses
Bjorn Hansen, Sweden ­ 6 wins, 6 losses
Paolo Cian, Italy ­ 4 wins, 8 losses
Staffan Lindberg, Finland ­ 3 wins, 9 losses
Ian Williams, UK ­ 2 wins, 10 losses
Mikael Lindqvist, Sweden ­ 2 wins, 10 losses

RESULTS OF EACH FLIGHT SAILED TODAY ­ ROUND ROBIN ONE

Flight 9
Hansen def. Richard
Coutts def. Williams
Spithill def. Lindberg
Cian ­ Lindqvist (match won by Cian but to be re-sailed due to protest)
Baird def. Jablonski
BYE Radich ­ Gram-Hansen

Flight 10
Hansen def. Lindberg
Coutts def. Lindqvist
Cian def. Williams
Baird def. Radich
Jablonski def. Gram-Hansen
BYE Spithill - Richard

Flight 11
Lindqvist def. Williams
Gram-Hansen def. Baird
Richard def. Lindberg
Hansen def. Spithill
Jablonski def. Radich
BYE Cian - Coutts

Flight 12
Baird def. Spithill
Radich def. Coutts
Lindberg def. Cian
Jablonski def. Lindqvist
BYE Gram-Hansen - Hansen
BYE Richard - Williams

Flight 13
Lindberg def. Gram-Hansen
Richard def. Jablonski
Baird def. Lindqvist
Cian def. Coutts
Hansen def. Williams
BYE Radich - Spithill

Flight 14
Cian def. Lindqvist
Spithill def. Richard
Radich def. Gram-Hansen
BYE Williams - Baird
BYE Hansen - Coutts
BYE Jablonski - Lindberg

RESULTS OF EACH FLIGHT SAILED TODAY ­ ROUND ROBIN TWO

Flight 1
Baird def. Hansen
Gram-Hansen def. Spithill
Lindberg def. Lindqvist
Richard def. Williams
Jablonski def. Cian
BYE Coutts - Radich