Sailing: Kiwis well-placed in Rio Paralympics

New Zealand's Paralympic sailing crew of Richard Dodson, Andrew May and Chris Sharp claimed a race win on day one of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and lie second overall after the opening day of the six-day regatta.

Racing in the three-person keelboat event featuring 14 boats from 14 nations, Dodson, May and Sharp returned an eighth in race one and then claimed the win in race two. The kiwis are locked on nine points with Greece and Germany.

Rio turned on the sunshine and a ten-knot breeze for the first day of racing.

"In the build-up to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Sailing Competition the sky has been a dull shade of grey, but the minute the first day of racing started, the stereotypical Rio de Janeiro sunshine came out with a 10 knot wind to boot. It was a glorious opening session of sailing," writes Richard Aspland in Rio for World Sailing.

Australia's Colin Harrison, Russell Boaden and Jonathan Harris were the top performers in the Sonar winning the opening race and crossing in second behind the kiwis in race two. They end day one with the overall lead, six points clear of the trio of next-best crews.

Racing in Rio resumes tomorrow with the Sonar teams set to sail another two races.