Yachting: Kiwi world champs lead way

Peter Burling (left) and Blair Tuke. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke collected a couple of race wins and now lead the 49er class at the Sailing World Cup in Spain with fellow world champions Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie third in the women's 470.

Five Kiwi crews are now in the top six - Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox are fifth in the men's 470, Josh Junior fifth in the Finn and Thomas Saunders sixth in the Laser - as the top crews qualified for the gold fleet.

Burling and Tuke took advantage of the mixed conditions, and a day when many of their rivals struggled, and lead the 49er class by seven points over the British crew of David Evans and Edward Powys.

Neither of the other Kiwi 49er crews, Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski or Ben Goodwin and Sam Bullock, qualified for the gold fleet and didn't race.

Aleh and Powrie finished fourth and second in their two races to retain third in the women's 470 and are eight points behind leaders Camille Lecointre and Helene Defrance of France.

"It was a crazy day weather-wise, with a delayed start caused by no wind," Aleh said. "Sailing out to the course we got hit by 20 knots, then out on our course there was absolutely nothing.

"It was a better day overall today. We got the majority of it right to come away with another two solid races."

There was no racing in the Laser class, with three Kiwis well placed - Saunders is sixth, Sam Meech eighth and Andy Maloney 17th.

Racing continues overnight with the medals to be handed out on Sunday morning (NZT).