The Royal Yachting Association

Reigning Laser Standard king Stuart Godwin recovered from a first race setback to ensure he kept his grasp on his title as racing returned to Pwllheli for day three of the RYA Youth National Championships and Trials.

After heavy winds scuppered all bar one RS:X race yesterday, this time it was lack of breeze that held the sailors on the shore until early afternoon.

But once released on to the waters of Cardigan Bay, variable winds between 11 and 20 knots ensured some thrilling racing ensued in all classes.

Godwin had amassed an impressive six point Standard class lead after the first three races of the opening day, posting two thirds and a win, but a 13th from the first race of today saw him temporarily drop to second overall.

However, the 17-year-old from Hammersmith turned things around with a race five second and with the advent of race six enabling sailors to discard one result, Godwin heads the Standard pack with 16 points, just one point ahead of second-placed Rob Spencer while Oli Tweddell is handily-placed on 19 points in third.

Among the other defending champions strengthening the stranglehold on their crowns are Imogen Stanley and Kate Macgregor who head their nearest rivals for the 420 girls title by a massive 42 points.

Ben Saxton and David de Boltz are enjoying a great regatta, discarding just a fourth place, to lead the 420 class overall.

Two wins today for RYA Youth Nationals 420 debutant Phil Sparks with Ben Gratton saw them recover from the disappointment of race three disqualification to move up to third with Owain Matthews and Tim Saxton sat in second at this stage.

The 29er class continues to provide a fascinating ding-dong battle with just three points separating the top three crews. James Peters and Ed Fitzgerald, who edged the contest by just a point at the end of day one from James’ sister Frances and Claire Lasko, remain at the top of the leaderboard courtesy of a discarded fifth and subsequent 1-3.

But local lads Bleddyn Mon and Tom Humphreys sailed themselves into second in style today with two wins and a third, to leapfrog Peters and Lasko although both crews boast 11 points to Peters and Fitzgerald’s eight.

Jacob Brubert remains in control of the RS:X class, the windsurfers having sailed five races in total. The 2007 Youth Nationals silver medallist picked up a 1-3 in slightly calmer conditions today while second-placed Ali Masters posted 9-1 to sit eight points behind Brubert with the discard rule to count from the next race.

An awesome clean sweep of SL16 bullets for Adam Butler and Gilbert Sutcliffe has seen them move four points clear of James Ellis and Andrew Glover in the three-boat catamaran event.

Meanwhile with six races now sailed, the 86-boat Laser Radial class splits into gold and silver fleet with 43 boats per fleet.

Oscar McVeigh has discarded a race one OCS to sail to the top of the Radial pile, two race wins and a ninth today seeing him eek out a four-point advantage over James Grant, who also moved up from third to second overall as a result of his day three show. Freddie Connor lies third while Sophie McKeeman heads the girls’ event, sitting ninth overall, with 32 points.

Tomorrow Pwllheli Sailing Club welcomes HRH The Princess Royal, President of the Royal Yachting Association, to the Championships to catch the racing action before meeting some of the young sailors.