British pair's medal hopes fade away

Sailing

Sailing

Only one British pair, Matthew Eeles and Philip Hilyard, made the cut to the final 56 of the Hobie Cat 16 World Championship yesterday, writes Stuart Alexander from Dubai. As they are lying 47th and there are only two days remaining, the chances of a British medal have evaporated.

Even the favourites, the reigning world champion Aaron Worrall, of Australia, in eighth, silver medallist Claudio Cardoso, of Brazil, 12th, and five times silver medallist Blaine Dodds, of South Africa, 10th, are being made to struggle. Two South Africans, Shaun Ferry and William Edwards, lead the field from Mark Laruffa, the Papua New Guinea-based Australian.

What has also been remarkable is the way in which the regatta has run to schedule. There has always been that essential ingredient, the wind. This has allowed a women's world championship to be followed by a qualifying competition to cut 240 boats down to 36 and the semi-finals, bringing in 75 seeds, to the final two days with 56.

Also under pressure is Lawrie Smith, fighting in Miami for the British place in the Star class at the Olympic Games. He and his crew, Chris Mason, are 13 points behind Glyn Charles and George Skoudos, who are putting up a strong display in the Bacardi Cup, the second and concluding regatta in the trial. They are fifth overall in a strong fleet as Smith's hopes rest on being able to improve as strong winds lighten for the final four races.