Weymouth hit by wind and course protest

(onEdition)

Anyone thinking that the choice of Weymouth as 2012 Olympic venue would mean a benign track in two years' time was given a stinging reminder yesterday that it could serve up a wide variety of testing racing conditions.

In particular, the wind was shifting in direction at the Sail for Gold regatta, which prompted a barrage of protests over the way the course was laid for the Star doublehanded keelboats and Finn singlehanders, with British gold medallists Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson, and Ben Ainslie involved.

Ainslie was 12th in the Finn, with Ed Wright 13th, while close rivals Giles Scott and Andrew Mills were both adjudged premature starters.

In the windsurfing, the Beijing bronze medallist Bryony Shaw was lying fourth, with Britain's Nick Dempsey third in the men's competition. Dempsey's wife Sarah Ayton, with near-neighbour Saskia Clark as crew, had another up-and-down day, a 43rd and an eighth leaving them 27th overall after four races in the women's 470.

Despite a broken mast which skittled the men's pair Nic Asher and Elliot Willis out of their fourth 470 race, they remain fifth overall.