Sailing: Maloney turns up heat

Northland sailing ace Alex Maloney has turned the heat up at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in France, producing three top performances to sit second overall with two days racing remaining.

Maloney, along with 49ERFX race partner Molly Meech, had their best day of the regatta yet, opening the finals series with a win which was followed up by a third and fourth placing, leaving them four points adrift of the leaders from Great Britain.

Maloney said she was happy with how she and Meech has been building across the regatta, which is now into day six overall and day two of the finals.

"Epic day on the water, with three intense races in crazy waves," Maloney said of Wednesday night's racing (NZT). "We had a good day, moving up the leader board, but there is definitely room for improvement. [I'm] pretty excited for similar conditions tomorrow [last night NZT]."

Maloney's brother, Andy, racing in the Laser fleet, also had a good day's sailing as he jumped two places in the 113-strong fleet to sit 10th overall.

Fellow Northlander Andrew Murdoch continues to progress in his newly chosen Finn boat, three points back in seventh from teammate Josh Junior who occupies fourth spot.

Training partners to London 2012 Olympic silver medallists Blair Tuke and Peter Burling, Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski, also returned their best day of the regatta.

Hansen and Porebski collected their first race win of the regatta, plus another top five finish in the 49er skiff event. As a result, the New Zealand sailing duo rocket up the leader board, after lying 16th at the outset of day three, Hansen and Porebski are now in 10th place as the pressure starts to mount.

Each fleet has two more days of finals racing before the Saturday's medal races and prize-giving.

Standings after day three:

Finn: 4th Josh Junior (4, 8, 5); 7th Andrew Murdoch (NZL Sailing Team) (5, 7, 8).

49er: 10th Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski - 49er (NZL Sailing Team) (19, 17, 5, 1).

49erfx: 2nd Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech - 49er FX (3, 1, 3, 4).

Laser: 4th Sam Meech (NZL Sailing Team) (3, 18, 10); 5th Thomas Saunders (7, 11, 46); 10th Andy Maloney (NZL Sailing Team) (13, 12, 19); 54th Andrew McKenzie (2013 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team) (48, 52, 50); 99th Michael Cate (47, 35, 35); 111th Jack Collinson (50, 59, 54).

Men 470: 7th Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox (NZL Sailing Team) (2, 11, 19); 29th Francisco Lardies and Luke Stevenson (18, 32, 30).

Nacra17: 13th Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders (26, 5, 9, 6); 21st Tomer Simhony and Nicole van der Velden (19, 28, 25, 15).