Australia’s Paralympic sailors have begun their second major competition for the Paralympic year in the second round of the Sailing World Cup in Miami, Florida.

The Skud 18 fleet were able to complete two races with the Australian crew of Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch third overall. The pair headed into the regatta off the back of their bronze medal winning performance at last week’s 2012 IFDS World Championships, also held in Florida.

Fitzgibbon and Tesch opened their account with a fifth before crossing the line first in race two to end the day three points off the leaders, world champions Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell of Great Britain.

“In the first race we had an awesome start but got hooked on some weed and it was hard to come back from that, we ended up fifth,” said Fitzgibbon.

“Things got better in the second race, we kept in the pressure and were happy with that and came away with a win.”

Meanwhile Tasmanian Matt Bugg made a solid start in the 2.4mR class and sits in sixth overall after the opening two races.

Last week Bugg was 11th overall at the 2012 IFDS World Championships and kicked off a new week of racing in Florida with a 12th and a fifth in the very competitive fleet.

“Today was a mixed day for me. In the first race I was a long way over at the start after having to crash tack on the start line to avoid a collision,” said Bugg.

“This meant I finally started my race over a minute after the gun which left me with a lot of work to do and I had to take some risks but fortunately they worked out OK and I ended up 12th. So after rounding the first mark in the 20s I ended up with what may be a keeper.

“The second race I started well at the pin end of the line and made the most of the first left shift to round the first mark in fifth, then the wind went very soft and it became very difficult sailing conditions for a 2.4mR,” he said.

“I lost a couple of places through bad sailing and getting out of phase with shifts but managed to gain them back on the last downwind to the finish, ending up in fifth.

“I'm currently in sixth position and I'm really hoping tomorrow that I can sail well and move up the leader board,” he said.

Racing continues tomorrow through until Saturday 28th January.

By Yachting Australia
Posted 24/01/2012