Choppy waters fail to upset pair as they sail into silver medal spot

On the waters off Weymouth, Peter O’Leary and David Burrows’ opening day results in the Star fleet suggest they managed to leave controversy ashore, delivering a promising opening which will provide Ireland’s sailors with all the encouragement they need when they start racing today.

O’Leary and Burrows posted a second and sixth for their Games debut to lie second overall, just three points behind Brazil’s world champions Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada.

Though they did start only modestly in the difficult, shifty wind conditions and initially rounded towards the back of the 16-boat fleet, on the second windward leg they placed themselves on the right side of a big wind shift which elevated them to second.