Budleigh sailor Ben Cornish won a third successive race as the 2018 Finn European Championships in Cadiz, Spain, winning the first race on Friday, writes Stephen Birley.

Ben won the first race on Friday (March 16) to strengthen his grip on an overall top-10 berth which would see him into the two Saturday double-points-races which will determine the destiny of the gold, silver and bronze medals.

During the Thursday action the conditions that developed during the day ranged from awesome to epic with huge waves, 20 plus knots of wind, as well as something almost unseen so far in Cadiz - the much promised Spanish sunshine. Unfortunately, the second race was later abandoned after extensive jury hearings because the first mark was out of position.

After he racing on Thursday, Ben said: “It was quite a changeable day. The first race was quite weather dominated with some quite big swings in the wind which came with the rain clouds. For the second race the skies opened up and we got the gradient come down, as forecast and quite a steady breeze for the afternoon.”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better day but in the first race I was in the mix at the top, but certainly not in a position were I though I would win the race, but then up the second beat a massive rain cloud came through and I had leant from my mistakes from the other day. And made sure I wasn’t on the wrong side of that one and managed to get myself into the lead.”

“In the second race, there was a little bit of a navigation error from the so I led from the top and held on it for the rest of the race.”

On the testing conditions, he said: “It was full on. On the back of Wednesday’s three races, where everyone was hanging on by the end just to get round and then straight back into it today. It was just as hard today with the conditions and I think there are a few broken people around here, so let’s see what Friday brings.”