Yachting: Ashley takes early regatta lead

Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie compete in the 470 fleet. Photo / Greg Bowker

Top New Zealand boardsailor Tom Ashley mastered the conditions best to lead after the first day of RS:X competition at the Sail Auckland regatta off Takapuna yesterday.

Ashley tops the leaderboard on three points with a second and first on the water yesterday.

Lee Byunggun of Korea is second five points adrift, with Dorian van Rijsselberge from the Netherlands a point further back.

The contest for the top woman windsurfer kicked off with Kate Ellingham of the NZL Sailing Team and Natalia Kosinska claiming one bullet apiece to share the lead at the end of the first day. Justina Sellers is third.

Mike Bullot and Andrew Murdoch made the best start on the Laser course with a win apiece and solid results in their other two races.

Bullot tops the board on nine points with Murdoch, recently crowned Laser national champion, one point back on 10. Aussie Tom Burton is third with fellow Aussie Ryan Palk fourth with the remainder of the NZL Sailing Team in close pursuit.

Murdoch said Takapuna was its usual tricky self. "I felt I had a pretty good day considering the conditions, I had a first, a third and a sixth, so a fairly good way to kick it off, I'm pretty happy."

Dan Slater of the NZL Sailing Team enjoyed some good competition from Spaniard Rafael Trujillo and Kiwi campaigner Matt Coutts on the Finn course.

Slater and Trujillo share the lead with five points, Slater opening with two bullets but then struggling to come back from a poor start in race three allowing Trujillo and Coutts to sail away from him.

Britons Nick Rogers and Chris Grube were too good on the 470 course opening up a decent lead on the chasing pack after three races. The visiting pair are six points clear of Mark Overington and Ben Goodwin in second with women's pair Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie in third place.

Michael Cate leads from Sara Winther in the Laser Radial which at 40 boats boasts the largest fleet in the event and includes youth, women and masters sailors.

Marcus Hansen and Aaron Hume-Merry lead the three boat 49er division, Sam Mackay and Oscar Rovick have the top spot in the 29er and Matthew Spary and Tyler Russell lead in the 420 fleet. Racing resumes at 11am.