Dickson and Waddilove make Gold fleet despite starting-line incident

A third Irish boat qualified for Gold fleet racing at the Princess Sofia regatta for Olympic classes on the Bay of Palma in Mallorca on Wednesday.

Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove sailed two races in their 49er skiff event after light winds delayed the schedule late into the afternoon from their base at S'Arenal.

Although conditions were tricky. with shifting light to medium airs coming down from the Tramuntana mountains, the Dublin pair negotiated their way to sixth place for the opening race of the day.

But a starting-line incident in the next race involving two other countries hampered their start and they did well to recover to 10th place.

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However, that incident looked set to involve them in a late night protest hearing with a possible outcome of disqualification in the right of way rules issue. The 10th place was their worst of the series so far and while it has been discarded, a disqualification would mean the 10th would be counted and drop them from their current 15th overall.

However, their place in the Gold fleet has been secured.

Aside from protest room hearings, the pair are likely to be busy along with many other crews addressing multiple issues with the new equipment the class has adopted since the Tokyo games.

Tearing sails, mast fixings and other repairs are a significant nightly chore for the teams midway through the regatta.

Meanwhile, Ireland's second 49er skiff crew missed qualification for Gold fleet after a mixed day. Cork's Seafra Guilfoyle and Johnny Durcan are sailing only their second major event together since partnering last year and on Wednesday had an 18th and an eighth to drop them outside the cut-off for Gold fleet.

Elsewhere in the 800-boat event, Rio 2016 Olympian Finn Lynch continued his steady form in the first Gold fleet races of the ILCA7 men’s series.

He was pleased with his day that included an eighth place to leave him eighth overall, while a 15th place was discarded.

Ireland’s other Gold fleet single-hander, Howth’s Ewan McMahon, discarded his first race 49th place and went on to place third straight afterwards. The day leaves him in 23rd place overall with four races remaining before Saturday’s medal race final.