Kohimarama sailor Jo Aleh leads the Laser Radial fleet with six races remaining at the world youth championships in Madeira, Portugal.
Aleh has not won a race in the first seven rounds, but consistent placings of 3, 4, 8, 15 (her discarded finish), 3, 2 and 4 have given her 24points going into today's layday, one ahead of American Paige Railey.
Railey has had two wins, and Australian Krystal Weir is third on 29 points, making for a thrilling contest.
Two other New Zealand crews - Mistral board-sailor Anna Eason, from Bucklands Beach, and 420 men Scott Kennedy, of Kohimarama, and Alistair Thompson, of Torbay - are third in their classes.
Eason has 23 points, with Poland's Zofia Klepacka leading on six points. The 420 men have 33 points, 22 behind leaders Nathan Outteridge and Hayden Menzies, of Australia, who made a flying start by winning the first three races.
Laser representative Luke Judge, of Kohimarama, is ninth, but just 21 points behind leader Nicky Ironmonger, of Australia.
Men's Mistral sailor David Robertson, of Kohimarama, is eighth on 44 points, well off the pace being set by Argentine Mariano Benitez, who won the first three races and has a worst result of fifth so far.
The 420 women, Olivia Powrie and Sarah Bilkey, of Kohimarama, are 10th on 59 points.