Another long day for us today but it feels like the week has flown by! It's the final day of the 2010 ISAF Match Race World Championships tomorrow and we are 1-1 in the first to 3 point semi finals against the French team of Claire Leroy.

After the repechage round was completed this morning it was decided the Dutch would be our opponents in the quarter finals. So with the fog making the windward mark hard to spot, around 12 knots and tide under us upwind, some exciting racing got underway. Our first race was somewhat disappointing as some action at the leeward mark which saw us round ahead and the Dutuch with a penalty meant we failed to see or hear the change of course signal and so ultimately lost the race...no good! In the next three races however we sailed well getting two more penalties against Renee and winning all three by a comfortable margin.

Into the semi finals along with Barkow (USA), Souter (AUS) and our opponents Leroy (FRA). Our first start with Claire was looking a bit risky for a while but resulted in us getting an early cross from the left and then extending the whole way round to win by a good margin. The next race was tight at the start but a couple of tacks in, the French got a cross on us and although we threatened them we were not able to regain the lead on the first lap. By the top of the second beat we were right on their tail again but were given a red flag (immediate) penalty at the top mark for our rounding in which we thought we had room. We had great crew work and despite having to drop, spin and rehoist we were on their breeze again and making big gains, perhaps even ahead at one point but unfortunately lost by 2ft at the finish!

All to play for tomorrow, fingers crossed!

Lucy