A race win in tricky Irish conditions has put Tom Saunders just inside the top 20 after the opening day of the ILCA 7 World Championships in Dún Laoghaire.
The former world champion started with a 17th, improved to 12th in race two, then found his form when it mattered. Saunders won the third and final race of the day, a result that lifted him to 19th overall in a 141-boat fleet.
The top 20 is bunched tightly on points, so that late win matters more than the ranking alone suggests.
George Gautrey was the next-best New Zealander, sitting 31st overall after a seventh in race two. Further back, Caleb Armit is 78th, George Pilkington 80th, and Zach Stibbe 103rd through three races.
The breeze built steadily through the day, from six to seven knots in the early races to 10 to 11 knots by the afternoon. Waves picked up too, and light rain moved in as conditions toughened.
Irish sailor Finn Lynch leads the fleet on home waters, carding a 1-2-4 to sit on three points. He's tied at the top with Italy's Attilio Borio, with Germany's Ole Schweckendiek and Hong Kong's Nicholas Halliday not far behind.
Saunders wasn't the only sailor to taste victory on day one. Reigning Olympic champion Matt Wearn of Australia also won a race and sits ninth overall, underlining the depth of this fleet.
Two more qualifying races are scheduled for tomorrow, with the first warning signal set for 12pm local time.
