Yachting: Rough conditions limit day two action

2016 Nacra 17, 49er and 49erFX World Championships in Clearwater, Florida - Racing Day 1

Harsh conditions continued to play havoc with the fleets on day two of the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra world championships in Florida, with strong breeze and choppy seas causing further disruption to the schedule today.

Only the Nacra and 49erFX fleets managed to squeeze in racing today, with the latter only getting one race in before racing was abandoned. The 49er class, featuring defending world championsh Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, and women's 49erFX class now find themselves two days into the six-day regatta with just one race on the board. Race organisers will attempt to catch up on lost ground over the coming days.

Both the New Zealand women's skiff crews in Florida started solidly despite the treacherous conditions, each recording a single-digit result from today's race.

Youngsters Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland impressed with a fourth place in their outing, while New Zealand Olympic hopefuls Alex Maloney and Molly Meech and were sixth in their race.

The rough and rugged sea state, which is compounded at the Clearwater venue by the shallow nature of the sailing waters, once again took its toll on the NZL Sailing Team's Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders, who struggled on day two. After recording a 27th in yesterday's opening race, the pair added another three disastrous results today, with a 23rd and 24th placing along with DNF in race three.

Jones and Saunders bounced back with a 10th place in the final race of the day, but with an overall placing of 26th, they have a lot of work to do over the coming days if they are to force their way into the medal races.

The pair, who joined forces in the new Olympic multihull class in 2013, have regularly finished in the top 10 in the key regattas, placing fifth at the 2015 Rio test event, and fourth at last year's Nacra world championships in Denmark.

Olivia Mackay and Micah Wilkinson, New Zealand's younger combination in the Nacra class fared slightly better today with a 28, 27, 13 scorecard to sit at 22nd overall in the 43 strong fleet.

Standings after day two of sailing in Florida:

49er world championship
1 Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (1)
21 Isaac McHardie & Trent Rippey (11)
43 Logan Dunning Beck & Jack Simpson (22)
54 Markus Somerville & Josh Porebski (35)

49erFX world championship
7 Erica Dawson & Ellie Copeland (4)
11 Alexandra Maloney & Molly Meech (6)

Nacra world championship
22 Olivia Mackay & Micah Wilkinson (12, 28, 27, 13, 24)
26 Gemma Jones & Jason Saunders (27, 23, DNF, 24, 10)