A good day of slalom on day 3 at the O'pen Bic Worlds

The clock is ticking and the count-down is nearly over at the O'pen BIC World Championship after another gripping day of racing here in Manly Bay, Auckland, New Zealand.

On day 4 of a competition that has been a proper test of the young sailors' talents, conditions were even better and the race committee's decision to run a slalom course, ideal in the stronger winds, was greeted by cheers at the morning skippers' meeting. The fleets duly delivered some spectacular action in two more rounds of racing, taking them to ten in total and leaving two more to be completed on tomorrow's final day.

After 4 days the rankings have taken shape, but fittingly nothing is yet decided.

In the U13 fleet, it's still a head-to-head for victory, with just 4 points separating Australia's Breanne Wadley from New Zealander Ted Houry, and it's even tighter in the contest for the final podium spot, with France's Tiphaine Rideau a single point ahead of Japan's Saki Nukui, leaving everything still up for grabs.

The same applies to the U17 fleet, where Italy's Davide Mulas has led from the start, but can he hold on all the way to the finish? The pressure is building behind him, with New Zealander Josh Hyde and, a little further back, Australia's Travis Wadley challenging hard, with America's C J Perez making a late run for the final medal place. 

There may be some sleepless nights tonight, but that won't stop all the young sailors wanting to make the most of the last competition day tomorrow, when the forecast is for stronger winds, perfect for completing the final rounds and crowning the 2019 O'pen BIC World Champions.