Goodison hits back in Laser class

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Video - Goodison starts well in Laser

Paul Goodison recovered from a poor start in the Laser class to end the opening day sixth in the standings.

The 30-year-old was 15th in his opening race of the Olympic sailing regatta - over three and a half minutes behind winner Julio Asogaray of Argentina.

But in race two, Goodison finished second after clawing his way back from 13th at the second mark.

Meanwhile, Penny Clark is in ninth place in the Laser Radial after a second and 22nd in her two races.

The 33-year-old Royal Navy officer, who clinched bronze at the Olympic test event in Qingdao two years ago, began the regatta well by coming home 33 seconds behind Belgium's Evi Van Acker.

But in the second race she was unable to break clear of the fleet and was over two minutes behind France's Sarah Steyaert at the finish.

The conditions were tricky out there Paul Goodison

Goodison has 17 points from his two races, 10 behind Andrew Murdoch of New Zealand who leads the standings after coming second and fifth.

"It is going to be a long regatta and you can't win the event on the first day but you can lose it, so I am just pleased I did not do that," said Goodison.

"There is no way you can sail conservatively. So much of it is that you have to react to what happens the best you can to put yourself back into it.

Goodison came fourth at the Athens Games in 2004

"Today was really just about getting into it. It has been a long time waiting and I would like to have started better than I have.

"The conditions were tricky out there but I have fought back and did not pick up any flags or letters.

"I thought I started well in both races, but the big problem is when there are two or three knots of difference in the wind from one side of the course to the other it is going to be tough if you are not in the extra pressure."

In the women's 470, the British duo of Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark started the day in 15th place after being disqualified from Monday's opening race after a protest by Slovenia.

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In the men's 470, Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield, the Athens silver medallists in 2004, climbed from 10th to fifth after winning race three and coming fourth in race four.

The British duo have 29 points, 12 behind the leading Australian pair of Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page.

Athens bronze medallist Nick Dempsey is fifth in the RS:X men's category after finishing third and second in his two races. Israel's Shahar Zubari leads following two wins from the first four races.

However Bryony Shaw dropped from third to fifth in the RS:X women's standings after finishing 11th and sixth.

China's Yin Jian recorded her third consecutive victory before taking third place in race four. She is nine points clear of Marina Alabau of Spain.