It’s plain sailing for British pair

Great Britain's Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes sailed to victory in both of today’s 49er-class races to move up to second in the overall standings.

The pair endured a frustrating start to the regatta but looked impressive in winning the first race of the day ahead of Finland’s Lauri Lehtinen and Kalle Bask. There was no stopping Morrison and Rhodes in the second race as they overcame competition from Lehtinen and Bask to get another win at Weymouth and Portland.

Australian leaders Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen could only place a disappointing 10th and sixth.

There was more British success in the star class as overall leaders Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson won the first race of the afternoon. The pair, returning from a rest day, gradually moved up the fleet and overtook Poland’s Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki to secure their second victory of the regatta.

Meanwhile, the International Sailing Federation today said they were “extremely disappointed” by the legal challenge made by the International RS:X Class Association against its decision to drop the discipline for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero.

The sport’s world governing body announced in May that the windsurfing class would be replaced by kiteboarding in Rio.