Yachting: Meech ninth at laser worlds

With a day remaining at the laser world championships, Kiwi sailor Sam Meech has moved up one position into ninth. Photo / Getty

It was a day of incremental improvements for all three New Zealand sailors racing in the gold fleet at the laser world championships in Oman.

With a day remaining, Sam Meech has moved up one position into ninth, Andy Maloney up two places to 14th while Thomas Saunders has climbed one place into 19th.

Most sailors recorded mixed results on what was another challenging day for all 126 competing for the open world title in Oman, and the Kiwis deserve credit for making gains where many suffered.

Two races were sailed on day six of the seven day regatta. Meech opened with a solid 10th but went on to place 39th and discard that race from his points total. Meech has 86 points, with a nine-point gap to close to better his position, while two sailors are in hot pursuit on 87 points.

Maloney was the most consistent Kiwi sailor today, placing 18th and 10th in his two races to climb to 14th with a total of 101 points. Saunders is now lying 19th with 128 points after placing 47th and eighth.

The final day of the championships is being billed as a showdown between overall leader Robert Scheidt of Brazil, who relinquished almost all of his leading margin on the penultimate day, and Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus.

New Zealand's standings after day six of the 2013 laser world championships in Muscat, Oman

Ninth Sam Meech (16, 26, 7, 15, 17, 1, 2, 8, 10, 10, 39)
14th Andy Maloney (7, 7, 8, 19, 5, 23, 22, 5, 33, 18, 10)
19th Thomas Saunders (15, 4, 11, 2, 22, 21, 44, 6, 39, 47, 8)
102nd Michael Cate
105th George Lane