Sail boarding: Ashley leads at world champs

Despite a mixed bag, New Zealand windsurfer Tom Ashley finds himself at the head of the fleet after day four of the world sail boarding championships in Italy.

The top 80 raced together for the first time in the Gold Fleet with Ashley finishing fourth and 10th. He says the fourth was a good race but in the second race he was last off the start line but managed to fight his way back to tenth.

Ashley's main rival, Dutchman Casper Bouman finished fifth and 17th, leaving Ashley first overall. He admits he was not flash but is still in good shape.

He says there is always something he can improve, and while most of it is going right, he just has to improve his starts and first beats.

Jon Paul Tobin has had a 22nd and 30th to be 18th overall.

In the women's fleet, Barbara Kendall is in 12th place.

There are two more races tomorrow, and one on Saturday before the top 10 race in each fleet on Sunday morning for the medals.

- NEWSTALK ZB