Greta Pilkington remains within striking distance of the top 10 despite losing ground on the leaders on a challenging third day of the 2026 ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship.
Pilkington’s first result outside the top 10 saw the Kiwi slip from eighth to 19th overall after finishing 44th in the only race completed on Dublin Bay.
It was a tough start to gold fleet racing for Pilkington, who had been one of the form sailors through qualifying, posting scores of 10, 4, 3, 3 and 9 to comfortably earn her place among the leading half of the fleet.
But with light and unpredictable conditions making for a difficult opening race of the elimination series, Pilkington was unable to repeat the consistency that had carried her into the top 10.
She remains well within reach of a return to that group, however, sitting just 19 points behind Italy’s Emma Mattivi in 10th.
Racing was delayed as sailors waited on the water in just two knots of breeze before conditions finally improved enough for the first gold fleet race to begin shortly after 1pm.
The wind varied between seven and nine knots during the race before fading further, eventually dropping to just one or two knots. Race officials waited in the hope of further racing but eventually sent the fleet ashore, leaving just one race completed for the day.
Belgium’s Emma Plasschaert took second in the race to move into the overall lead on nine points, ahead of American Charlotte Rose, who finished eighth and sits second on 13 points.
Australia’s Mara Stransky is third on 34 points, with Britain’s Matilda Nicholls fourth on 35.
Dutch sailor Roos Wind won the race — her first victory at a senior world championship — to make one of the biggest moves of the day, climbing from 30th to 14th overall.
Three races are scheduled for tonight (NZ time) as the elimination series continues.
Latest results and standings here.
Originally published by Yachting New Zealand.
