Day 3 Update: ISAF Sailing World Championships & 2016 Olympic Qualifiers

Another day of light winds today (14 September) at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in northern Spain. Only a few fleets managed to race and, in some cases, competitors experienced delays of more than five hours before the decision was finally made to abandon racing.

James Espey made the most of his chance to compete. After two nervy starts by his fellow competitors - resulting in nine sailors' disqualification for being over the start line early - the Gold fleet finally got underway on the third attempt. Espey was rewarded for his composure. The 4-8 knot breeze saw him strong off the start line and jostling for position in among the leaders. At the mid-point he was in 4th place but slipped a few places in the second half of the race to finish a respectable 10th. He now lies in 26th overall, an impressive climb from last night's 40th.

The Laser Radial Gold fleet got their fifth race underway at 15.50. Annalise Murphy's gritty performance yesterday looked set to be repeated when she rounded the first mark in 9th but such are the difficulties with the conditions - she got caught out on the wrong side and ended up 37th. She now lies 45th overall within the 60 boat fleet.

Racing was abandoned for Finn Lynch and the Laser Standard Bronze fleet at 18.30 having failed to even start a race.

Tomorrow is a rest day for the Laser classes, however this may change given they dropped a race today.

Three new classes will begin racing tomorrow for the first time. Ryan Seaton & Matt McGovern will be representing Ireland in the men's 49er class, Andrea Brewster & Saskia Tidey will compete in the female 49erFX while Ross Hamilton will take on the dinghy heavyweights in the Finn fleet.