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New Zealand's Josh Armit finds himself in second at the iQFoil World Championships in Brest on a day when a couple of the big favourites missed out on qualifying for gold fleet.
Armit won all three of his slalom races and then finished fifth in the fleet race to sit level on points with France's Thomas Goyard at the top of the men's standings.
Thomas Crook will join Armit in the men's gold fleet, sitting in 30th overall, and Veerle ten Have also progressed to the women's gold fleet even though she was disappointed with her opening to these world championships. Ten Have is 28th overall.
A lot hinged on today's racing after the first day was lost due to a lack of wind, meaning the qualifying series would be wrapped up in one day.
Armit jumped out of the blocks to win all three of his slalom races and capitalised on a great start in the only course race of the day, going on to finish fifth.
"It was a good days’ racing," he said. "It felt pretty similar to back home today so I really enjoyed the conditions, it was good fun.
"It’s my first worlds in the class so I haven’t come in with many expectations, just to learn as much as I can because it’s just the start of my journey. I put some clean races together and got a bit lucky a couple of times."
Crook had a solid first day, capped off by a win in his first slalom race, but also looked back on a couple of decisions that cost him a few points.
"It was a mixed day but I'm pretty happy with where I am at," Crook said. "I just tried to plug away and get some decent results to get into gold fleet because it could have been the end of the regatta if you made a few bad decisions. I am happy with a few moments and I was one or two decisions away from being a lot further up the fleet.
"It had the set-up to be an absolute shambles, because the original plan was to do four slalom races in shifty conditions and that’s all you have for qualification. It was the perfect recipe for having some good guys deep."
That's how it transpired for a couple of the favourites, as two-time defending world champion Nicolas Goyard and Brazil's Mateus Isaac both missed out on gold fleet.
The 2020 world and European champion Helen Noesmoen of France is also 42nd in the women's fleet, highlighting how treacherous it was for some sailors in the 9-20 knots offshore winds.
Ten Have safely moved through to the women's gold fleet, and won her third slalom race of the day, but will be determined to move up the standings over the remaining four days of racing.
Results and standings after day 2 of the iQFoil World Championships in Brest today:
Men (160 boards)
1st: Thomas Goyard (FRA) 1 1 (3) 1 - 3 points
2nd: Josh Armit (NZL) 1 1 1 (5) - 3 pts
3rd: Huig Jan Tak (NED) (17) 1 1 3 - 4 pts
30th: Thomas Crook (NZL) 1 13 7 (26) - 21 pts
73rd: Eli Liefting (NZL) 15 7 (27) 24 - 46 pts
124th: Antonio Cozzolino (NZL) (39 DNF) 19 23 34 - 76 pts
Women (102 boards)
1st: Pilar Lamadrid (ESP) 1 1 1 1 (3) - 4 pts
2nd: Lilian de Geus (NED) 1 (35 DNC) 1 2 1 - 5 pts
3rd: Islay Watson (GBR) 1 1 1 (7) 5 - 8 pts
28th: Veerle ten Have (NZL) 13 (19) 1 12 18 - 44 pts
- Pic: Josh Armit won all three of his slalom races today. Photo: Tasman Rowntree.
