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Great Britain remain the most successful nation in the Rankings with six sailors within the top three places across the eleven events. With AINSLIE back at the top of the Finn Rankings and Chris DRAPER and Simon HISCOCKS (GBR) holding firm to the 49er top spot, they have two number one crews, a feat shared by the Ukraine thanks to Olga MASLIVETS in the Mistral and 2004 Olympic silver medallists, Ruslana TARAN, Anna KALININA and Svetlana MATEVUSHEVA in the Yngling.

Elsewhere Rankings' leaders come from Brazil, the USA, Portugal, France, Spain, Hong Kong and Sweden, meaning the top spots are shared between Europe, Asia, North and South America.

The next release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings will be the final one of 2005 on 12 December.

1. Men's Windsurfer - Mistral
2. Women's Windsurfer - Mistral
3. Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser
4. Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
5. Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470
6. Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470
7. Skiff - 49er
8. Heavyweight Dinghy - Finn
9. Multihull - Tornado
10. Women's Keelboat - Yngling
11. Men's Keelboat - Star

1. Men's Windsurfer - Mistral

Maxim OBEREMKO has lost his top spot © ISAF

There are no new events counting to the Men's Windsurfer event since the last rankings on 3 August.

However, the rolling calculation of the rankings has shuffled the places up a bit and presented a new leader. Hong Kong's Ho CHI HO leaps up from 3 to 1 and topples Maxim OBEREMKO (UKR), who had held firm leading the rankings since February 2005. HO has made a steady climb up the rankings and broke into the world's top 10 in May of this year, and now he has clinched the top spot.

Good news also for another Hong Kong sailor, with King Yin CHAN jumping up from 13 to 5, also a career best.

As many of the sailors have made the transition to the RS:X Class, and with the RS:X to be included in the ISAF World Sailing Rankings from 1 January 2006, all eyes are on the form of the sailors as the competition circuit gets underway.

The first European event in the RS:X took place in Cadiz, Spain last weekend with a mix of results across the board for the sailors, but a strong consistency from Nicolas HUGUET (FRA) who finished a clear winner . This follows on from the Neil Pryde RS:X International Invitation Tournament in China which was dominated by Wu SHIFU (CHN) and the Neil Pryde RS:X Pacific Coast Championship in San Francisco, USA which was won by Wilhelm SCHURMANN (BRA).

France dominates the world's top 20 with six sailors making an appearance. However, a downward fall for Julien BONTEMPS (FRA) from 10 to 19 as the effect of the rolling calculation and not competing on the Mistral since the Olympic Games crunches the numbers. BONTEMPS's performance in Cadiz last weekend was certainly heading the right way, with some excellent results as the racing drew to a close on the final day, finishing the series in sixth with his scoreline marred only by an unlucky 13 in the opening race and an OCS.

The events to be included in the final rankings for the Mistral Class on 12 December are the ISAF Grade 2 Enoshima Olympic Week and the ISAF Grade 3 Tzeni Grammalidou Cup.

Men's Windsurfer ISAF World Sailing Rankings

2. Women's Windsurfer - Mistral

As in the Men's Windsurfer, the women's fleet has no events counting in this release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings. Whilst the two-year ranking calculation has effected some sailors, there is no change in the world's top four, who remain in the same order led by Olga MASLIVETS (UKR), with Amelie LUX (GER), Blanca MANCHÓN (ESP) and Antonia FREY (GRE) following behind.

All four put in an appearance at last weekend's RS:X event in Cadiz, Spain, with MANCHÓN, who has been announced on the shortlist for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, finishing ahead of the others in second place overall, pipped to the post by Olympic Champion Faustine MERRET (FRA) who claimed the series.

Not surprising the results from the event in Cadiz mirror the same names which appeared at the top of the fleet in the Mistral circuit.

As in the men's windsurfer rankings, Hong Kong sailors are making a strong stand in the top 10, with Wai KEI CHAN up to 5 from 6, and Wai Man CHAN up to 6 from 14 - a career highlight to date. Neither sailor has yet made a showing on the RS:X competition circuit, but expect them to make a strong appearance as the board is included in the ISAF World Sailing Rankings from 1 January 2006.

Women's Windsurfer ISAF World Sailing Rankings

3. Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser

• ISAF Grade W Events - Laser World Championship, Brazil
• ISAF Grade C1 Events - Laser European Championship, Spain
• ISAF Grade 1 Events - CORK Regatta, Canada
• ISAF Grade 3 Events - Laser Northeast Brazilian Championship, Brazil; Istanbul Sailing Week, Turkey; International Sailing Week, Poland; Matosinhos Sailing Cup, Portugal

Robert SCHEIDT (BRA) stays at the top of the Rankings and few could argue with his right to the honour, after the Brazilian legend spent August and September making mincemeat of the rest of the Laser sailing world. Three wins in the latest Rankings' period at the ISAF Grade C1 Laser European Championship in Cartagena, Spain and the ISAF Grade 3 Laser Northeast Brazilian Championship and ISAF Grade W Laser World Championship both in Fortaleza, Brazil cement his position at the top of the Rankings which he regained from Paul GOODISON (GBR) in August.

Robert SCHEIDT scored back-to-back wins at the Europeans and Worlds © LC Moreira

In the 32 races which made up the three series in which SCHEIDT took victory, he took an incredible 19 bullets and failed to finish in the top five on just four occasions. A performance which saw record victory margins of 15 and 34 points at the Europeans and Worlds respectively. SCHEIDT's dominance in the Laser is providing the Brazilian with a difficult decision.

He had originally expressed an intention to campaign a Star for Beijing, and began the year with strong performances at both the ISAF Grade C1 Star South American Championship and ISAF Grade W Star World Championship. SCHEIDT then returned to the Laser, and has been back to his very best in the last few months culminating in his massive win at the Worlds on his home waters. With such dominant displays in the Laser, SCHEIDT is once again considering his plans for 2008, and has said he will wait until November before making a decision.

Behind SCHEIDT, GOODISON remains at number two, thanks to his second place at the Europeans whilst Olympic silver medallist Andreas GERITZER (AUT) climbs above Vasilij ZBOGAR (SLO) to number three after finishing fourth in Cartagena. Mate ARAPOV (CRO) makes an entry to the top five climbing up from seventh to fifth thanks to a third at the Europeans and fifth at the Worlds, whilst fellow Croatian Milan VUJASINOVIC moves up from 23 to eight. Canada's Bernard LUTTMER scored a win on his home waters at the ISAF Grade 1 CORK Regatta in Kingston and consequently also moves up into the top ten, rising from 15 to number nine.

Meanwhile in the top 20, Diego ROMERO (ARG) climbs from 20 to 14 thanks to a second place at the Worlds, whilst Jeremie STEYAERT (FRA) moves from 29 to 17 and 2001 ISAF Youth Worlds winner Mark POWELL (GBR) from 35 to 19 after top ten finishes in Brazil.

Other high risers include Aron LOLIC (CRO), moving up from 77 to 36 after an excellent twelfth at the Europeans, Adonis BOUGIOURIS (GRE) going up from 134 to 42 after an 18th at the Worlds and winner of the 2005 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship Giles SCOTT (GBR) jumping from 119 to 44 after finishing 20th at the Worlds and 21st at the Europeans. Bruno FONTES FERREIRA (BRA) is moving closer to becoming the fourth Brazilian in the top 100 after climbing from 328 to 133 after finishing 14th at the Europeans and 21st at the Worlds.

Men's One Person Dinghy ISAF World Sailing Rankings

4. Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial

Paige RAILEY added another feather to her bow with victory at the Europeans in Croatia © Natasa Seric

• ISAF Grade C1 Events - Laser Radial European Championship, Croatia
• ISAF Grade 1 Events - CORK Regatta, Canada

Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Champion and ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year nominee Paige RAILEY (USA) scored her fifth win of the year with a convincing display at the ISAF Grade C1 Laser Radial European Championship in Split, Croatia to build a dominant looking 450 point lead at the top of the Rankings. Behind her there is plenty of place changing in the top ten led by Magalie BONNEAU-MARCIL (CAN) rising from five to two after she took third place at the ISAF Grade 1 CORK Regatta in Kingston, Canada, whilst CORK Regatta winner Lisa ROSS (CAN) climbs from twelve to five and is one of four Canadians in the top six along with Jennifer SPALDING and Keamia RASA.

Just outside the top ten Tatiana DROZDOVSKAYA (BLR) climbs seven places to 13 after a fifth place at the Europeans, whilst new European Champion Sarah STEYAERT (FRA) rises from 55 to 38 and third place finisher in Split, Sari MULTALA (FIN) moves from 102 to 62. Also new into the top 100 is Bermuda's Katrina WILLIAMS at 81 after an eighth place in Kingston.

The Laser Radial Rankings climb above 200 sailors for the first time this month, with Claudia LEAVENS (CAN) the highest of the 18 new entries at 131.

Women's One Person Dinghy ISAF World Sailing Rankings

5. Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470

• ISAF Grade W Events - 470 World Championship, USA
• ISAF Grade 3 Events - Istanbul Sailing Week, Turkey; International Sailing Week, Poland

Nathan WILMOT and Malcolm PAGE scored an emphatic repeat win at the 470 Worlds © Chris Ray

The men's 470 rankings see no change to the top two teams in this ranking but the effects of the ISAF Grade W 470 World Championship can certainly be seen further down the list. The Australian team of Nathan WILMOT and Malcolm PAGE (AUS) successfully defended their title in San Francisco, and subsequently count their first points from an event since the Olympic Games in Athens and move one place up the rankings to number eleven.

The big climbers are the six teams who join the top 20. The highest is Nic ASHER and Elliott WILLIS (GBR) who move up nine places to number 13 after finishing sixth in San Francisco. The biggest climbers are Gildas PHILIPPE and Nicolas LE BERRE (FRA) whose third place at the Worlds sees them move 14 places up to number 16. Two more French teams make the move up to the top 20, Pierre LEBOUCHER and Vincent GAROS climb from 23 to 15 whilst Ronan DREANO and Ronan FLOCH make the leap from 24 to 18.

The major fallers are those who did not compete at the Worlds, namely Andreas KOSMATOPOULOS and Andreas PAPADOPOULOS (GRE) who fall from number three down to 14. Eugeniy BRASLIVETS and Igor MATVIYENKO (UKR) suffer a similar fate, and this team who were at number two in the world on 1 June 2005 slip all the way down from eight to 24.

The highest new entry is at number 103 where Mantis PANAGIOTIS and Polychronidis THEODOR (GBR) count their 26 from the Worlds to enter the rankings.

Men's Two Person Dinghy ISAF World Sailing Rankings

6. Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470

Marcelian DE KONING and Lobke BERKHOUT on their way to Worlds' glory © Chris Ray

• ISAF Grade W Events - 470 World Championship, USA

It's all about the Worlds for the women's 470 fleet in this ranking release. As the only event to count towards sailors' points the results in San Francsisco have had a significant impact on positions. Marcelien DE KONING and Lobke BERKHOUT (NED) took their first World Championship victory in the 470 and are additionally rewarded by their ranking position rising from 11 to five. DE KONING and BERKHOUT's victory in San Francisco couldn't have been tighter as they finished on equal points with Christina BASSADONE and Saskia CLARK (GBR), winning on countback as they counted five bullets to the British pair's two and discarding an eighth and a seventh compared to a 21 and a twelve. BASSADONE and CLARK might be smarting from being denied the title in such a way but they can console themselves with remaining at number four on the rankings.

There is also no change for Ingrid PETITJEAN and Nadege DOUROUX (FRA) at number one, Nike KORNECKI and Vered BUSKILA (ISR) at number two and Therese TORGERSSON and Vendela ZACHRISSON (SWE) at number three who finished third, fifth and sixth respectively at the Worlds.

Things get much more interesting throughout the rest of the top 20.There are five new entries, the highest being Elise RECHICHI and Tessa PARKINSON (AUS) who leap up to number eight from 22. This young duo who have four ISAF Youth World Championship gold medals between them have had a consistent season, topping the podium at the ISAF Grade 1 Kieler Woche, finishing second at the ISAF Grade 1 Holland Regatta and sixth at the ISAF Grade C1 Euroepans in June. Another young team who can boast ISAF Youth World gold medals and a dramatic rise up the rankings is Pippa WILSON and Sheena CRAIG (GBR). WILSON and CRAIG finished seventh at the Worlds, just behind the defending champions Therese TORGERSSON & Vendela ZACHRISSON (SWE), and see their ranking position climb from 32 up to 14. The other big climbers into the top 20 are Lauren JEFFRIES and Rike ZIEGELMAYER (AUS) who move up from 30 to 15, Teja and Alija CERNE (SLO) who climb from 34 to 18 and Marta PETRASZ and Natalia RUWINSKA (POL) who move up to 20 from 27 to become the second Polish team in the top 20.

2004 Olympic silver medallist in the Europe, Lenka SMIDOVA who has moved into the 470 with crew Elizabeth KRATZIG (CZE) had an excellent result at their first 470 World Championship and only their second event to gain ranking points; their fourth place in San Francisco boosts them 26 places up to number 43. The highest new entry is Carissa HARIS and Isabelle KINSOLVING (USA) who finished 17 at the Worlds and enter at number 55.

Women's Two Person Dinghy ISAF World Sailing Rankings

7. Skiff - 49er

• ISAF Grade W Events - 49er World Championship, Russia
• ISAF Grade C1 Events - Schenker 49er European Championship, Denmark

Rodion LUKA and George LEONCHUK hit their best form in Russia to take the 49er World title © 49erworlds2005.ru

The domination continues at the top of the Skiff fleet, with Chris DRAPER and Simon HISCOCKS (GBR) holding the number one slot for what is now just over two years.

The British duo started their remarkable run on 1 October 2003 - and look set to remain at the top for some time yet? A win at the 49er European Championship in Denmark and a second place at the 49er World Championship in Moscow has helped to bolster their position. Although their points margin over the chasing pack has extended to 107 from 13 - it is only a narrow margin of relief. Another feat to their credit is their run of performances at the last four European Championships and World Championships - finishing in the top two every time.

The British pair were denied a win at the worlds by Olympic silver medallists Rodion LUKA and George LEONCHUK (UKR) who took their first 49er World Championship victory. Whilst DRAPER and HISCOCKS had dominated the qualification series they were wrong footed on the first day of the finals, and never recovered. Combining their win in Moscow with a tenth at the European Championships, LUKA and LEONCHUK have held firm to their previous ranking position and sit in fourth.

The career highlight for this release of the rankings goes to the SIBELLO brothers, Pietro and Gianfranco, who have moved up to second in the world from fifth. The pair have been amongst the world's top ten for well over a year, but this is their first break into the top three. Using the Europeans in Denmark to prepare themselves for their World's performance, they posted a comfortable eighth overall. And only a few weeks later in Moscow they really found their form and finished third at the 49er World Championships, a career best.

Three new crews make their way into the world's top ten with Jan-Peter PECKOLT and Hannes PECKHOLT (GER) moving into 8 from 12, due to their fourth place at the Europeans and sixth at the Worlds. Chasing hard behind are Alberto PADRON and Javier DE LA PLAZA (ESP) who are up from 17 to 9 on the world rankings, after a 17 and a 7 at the Europeans and Worlds respectively! Joining these two are Denmark's Allan NORREGAARD and Jonatan PERSSON who move into number 10 from 15, after two top ten performances at the Europeans and Worlds.

There are a further seven new entries in the top 20, with some well known names now dropping down. For most of the downshifters, the crews have appeared at only a couple of events or not at all since the Olympic Games, so are not counting maximum points.

The top 20 biggest gain goes to John PINK and Alex HOPSON (GBR) who climb from 26 to sit just outside the world's top 10 at number 11. The pair placed 20 at the Europeans, to be followed by a ninth at the Worlds in Moscow. Fresh from the Worlds, PINK then joined ISAF in Southampton, Great Britain, at the inaugural meeting of the ISAF Athletes' Commission. An equally impressive gain goes to Jorge LIMA and Francisco ANDRADE (POR), who have risen to 18 from 28. With less than two years of 49er competition to his credit, LIMA has made a consistent climb up the world rankings.

Skiff ISAF World Sailing Rankings

8. Heavyweight Dinghy - Finn

• ISAF Grade W Events - Finn Gold Cup, Russia
• ISAF Grade C1 Events - Finn European Championship, Sweden
• ISAF Grade 2 Events - Malcesine International Finn Cup, Italy
• ISAF Grade 3 Events - CORK Regatta (Series 2), Canada

Ben AINSLIE (GBR) makes an unsurprising return to the number one spot following his back-to-back victories at the ISAF Grade C1 Finn European Championship in Sweden and ISAF Grade W Finn Gold Cup in Russia. Nobody could deny the double Olympic gold medallist his top spot, after he annihilated the competition at the Europeans and virtually led from the start to take his fourth consecutive Gold Cup. Since his victory in Athens last year, AINSLIE has cherry-picked his events, and balanced his Finn sailing with helming duties for Emirates Team New Zealand on the match racing circuit. His lack of practice in the Finn has seemingly not affected his winning ways, with another crushing defeat of the fleet at the ISAF Grade 1 Holland Regatta in Medemblik his only other Finn outing of 2005.

Ben AINSLIE was in dominant form at the Europeans before going on to take his fourth Finn World title in a row © eurofinn.org

Behind AINSLIE former number one Jonas HOEGH-CHRISTENSEN (DEN) falls one place to two, just keeping ahead of runner up at the Gold Cup, Emilios PAPATHANASIOU (GRE), whilst Gasper VINCEC (SLO) climbs one place to four, after a podium finish at the Europeans.

Places six to ten see several big climbers rejuvenate the top of the Rankings led by Daniel BIRGMARK (SWE), ninth at both the Europeans and the Gold Cup. Soren HOLM (DEN) climbs up five places to seven after high finishes in Sweden and Russia, whilst Waclaw SZUKIEL (POL) gains 14 from 22 to eight after finishing fourth at the Gold Cup and tenth at the Europeans. Johan TILLANDER (SWE) also makes big gains from 21 to nine after finishing 16 at the Gold Cup and 21 at the Europeans, whilst Russia's Vladimir KRUTSKIKH moves up six places to become the fifth new entry into the top ten in this release of the Rankings.

The remainder of the top 20 also sees several other high climbing new entries thanks to joint success at the Europeans and Gold Cup, amongst them new Junior European and World Champion Ivan KLJAKOVIC GASPIC (CRO) who climbs from 44 to 16, Great Britain's Edward WRIGHT who moves from 39 to 13 and Olexiy BORYSOV (UKR) who jumps up a massive 28 places from 55 to 17.

Chris COOK (CAN) can count himself unlucky to just miss out on a top 20 place at 21 after finishing third at the Gold Cup and winning the ISAF Grade 3 CORK Regatta (Series 2) on his home waters. Michal HRUBY (CZE) at 23 also just misses out after an excellent fifth at the Gold Cup following a finish of 20 at the Europeans. New to the Finn this year, Dan SLATER (NZL), has made a great start in the Heavyweight Dinghy, and climbs another 25 places from 56 to 31. After a second place at the Europeans and a sixth at the Gold Cup he is streaking towards the top 20 and still only counting five of a possible seven events.

Heavyweight Dinghy ISAF World Sailing Rankings

9. Multihull - Tornado

Roman HAGARA and Hans Peter STEINACHER took second at the Europeans © Mikael Sundheden

• ISAF Grade C1 Events - Tornado European Championship, Sweden

In August, World Champions and ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year nominees Fernando ECHAVARRI and Anton PAZ BLANEO (ESP) added the ISAF Grade C1 Tornado European Championship to their 2005 honours list in Sweden to cement their position as the number one Tornado crew in the Rankings. Third place in Sweden for Mitch BOOTH and Herbert DERCKSEN (NED) lifts them up to second place in the Rankings, whilst Andrey KIRILYUK and Valery USHKOV move up to third.

Both Xavier REVIL and Christophe ESPAGNON (FRA) and Johannes POLGAR and Florian SPALTEHOLZ (GER) enter the top ten for the first time this year after finishing fourth and eighth respectively at the Europeans.

Outside the top 20 there are several high climbers who move up the Rankings thanks to their finishes at the Europeans, including Russia's Alexey CHEKRYGIN and Sergey BOGATKIN moving from 62 to 46, Sweden's Karl SUNESON and Eric ANDERSSON from 71 to 53 and Brazil's Mauricio SANTA CRUZ and Joao CARLOS from 89 to 60.

Multihull ISAF World Sailing Rankings

10. Women's Keelboat - Yngling

The Yngling fleet are not counting any new events towards this ranking release but there is a change at the top. Olympic silver medallist from Athens, Ruslana TARAN, Anna KALININA and Svetlana MATEVUSHEVA (UKR) move up two places to number one, the first time in their career together, due to the rolling calculation system. Ekaterina SKOUDINA, Diana KRUTSKISK and Tatiana LARSTEVA (RUS) slip from the top spot to number two and push the German team of Kristin WAGNER, Anna HOELL and Franziska UNKELBACH down to third.

There are other minor shuffles in position in the top 20 wtih one new entry. Since making the switch from the 470, Vlada ILIENKO and Natalia GAPONOVICH with Ekaterina KOVALENKO (RUS) continue to make good progress and now move up five places to number 17 whilst 2005 Olympic gold medal winning crew Sarah AYTON (GBR) who has now moved to the back of the boat and teamed up with Annie LUSH and Lisa MACDONALD move up seven places to number 13.

The next graded event for the Yngling is the ISAF Grade 3 Sail Brisbane from 10-14 December.

Women's Keelboat ISAF World Sailing Rankings

11. Men's Keelboat - Star

• ISAF Grade C1 Events - Ringhals Star European Championship, Sweden; Keane Star North American Championship, USA

Despite losing their European title Frederik LÖÖF and Anders EKSTROM (SWE) have kept the top spot in the Rankings and remain the longest standing number one team across all eleven events.

Number two team Iain PERCY and Steve MITCHELL (GBR) won the ISAF Grade C1 Ringhals Star European Championship in Varberg, Sweden with a race to spare, but LÖÖF and EKSTROM's second place on their home waters keeps them above the Brits in the Rankings. World Champions Xavier ROHART and Pascal RAMBEAU (FRA) came in third at the Europeans, but fall to fourth in the Rankings after George SZABO and Eric MONROE (USA) move up to third thanks to their victory at the ISAF Grade C1 Keane Star North American Championship in Marina Del Rey, USA. 2000 Olympic gold medallist in the Star Mark REYNOLDS and crew Hal HAENEL (USA) also profit from a good performance on their home waters, climbing four places to complete the top five.

Iain PERCY and Steve MITCHELL on their way to the European title © Jan Walker/ RegattaActiveImages

Maurice O`CONNELL and Edmund PEEL (IRL) are the first of two high climbing teams new to the top ten in this release. Twelfth at the Europeans sees them move from 19 to six, whilst Canada's Brian CRAMER and Steve CUTTING go from 23 to 9 after a top 20 finish at the Star North Americans.

Seventh at the Europeans sees Alexander HAGEN and Kay FALKENTHAL (GER) enter the top 20 at 17 from 28, and Argentina's Julio LABANDEIRA and Enrigue DE LA TORRE break into the top 20 at 20 after finishing 14th in the USA, a great achievement from a team who where outside the top 50 at this time last year.

Poland's 1996 Olympic gold medallist in the Finn Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ continues to make rapid progress up the Star Rankings with crew Dominik ZYCKI. After finishing fifth at the Europeans they climb another 18 places from 56 to 28 and are still only counting five of a possible seven events. It is a similar story with former Laser sailor Robert STANJEK and crew Markus KOY (GER), who leap from 57 to 31, after finishing 13th in Sweden. Fellow Germans Matthias MILLER and Frithjof KLEEN also profit from a good finish in the Europeans rising from 98 to 56. John DANE III and Austin SPERRY (USA) climb sharply this release, going up from 101 to 54 after finishing third at the North Americans and Mark MENDELBLATT and Mark STRUBE (USA) gain 34 places going to 50th in the Rankings after taking fourth place in USA. With the exception of DANE III and SPERRY, the Bahamas' Steven KELLY and Darin JENSEN are the highest new entry into the top 100 this release, moving up from 108 to 63 after a top 20 finish at the North Americans.

Men's Keelboat ISAF World Sailing Rankings

The next release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings will be 12 December 2005.