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Billy BESSON and Arnaud JARLEGAN (FRA) take the lead from countrymen Yann GUICHARD and Alexandre GUYADER (FRA). All four French crews are in the top ten of 22-strong Tornado fleet in Thessaloniki.

Wednesday was undoubtedly the warmest day in Greece so far and saw the late onset of the seabreeze. Racing was postponed for 30 minutes while the breeze settled. The seabreeze initially came in at 280 degrees (a long way to the right) and basically shifted left all day long.

The first race of the day started in 8-10 knots with the fleet just double trapezing out of the start. It was the boats that came off the pin end of the starting line and getting the furthest into the left-hand corner that triumphed at the first mark. Xavier REVIL and Christophe ESPAGNON (FRA) led at the first mark ahead of the Greeks Iordanis PASCHALIDES and Konstantinos TRIGONIS and BESSON and JARLEGAN.

Rounding the bottom mark the French opted for the right hand mark leaving the way open for the Greeks to work the left and steal the lead. Once the Greeks got a taste of the lead and added their local knowledge they were unchallenged for a first place finish. REVIL and ESPAGNON slipped to fifth allowing Santiago LANGE and Carlos ESPINOLA (ARG) and BESSON and JARLEGAN to take second and third place, respectively.

The Greek crew TRIGONIS commented, "Very tricky day, you had to be very patient and wait for the right time to make your move. We struck on the second upwind when the French [REVIL] gave us the opportunity by rounding the bottom gate and heading right, we were watching the left all day."

The second race of the day saw the breeze had build to 12 knots by the start. The race was won and lost on the start line with the fleet eager to head hard left.

It was Darren BUNDOCK and Glenn ASHBY (AUS) that blasted out of the pin end of the start line, just to windward of a congested pack of pin-end boats. BUNDOCK and ASHBY led by 150m at the first mark and extended throughout the race.

Once again it was BESSON and JARLEGAN showing their consistency taking second as the breeze built to 15 knots from the German brothers Tino MITTELMEIER and Niko MITTELMEIER.

With a spare day to come on Thursday and one drop race coming into effect, BESSON and JARLEGAN hold a two-point overall lead on GUICHARD and GUYADER. With the Greeks PASHALIDIS and TRIGONIS a further four points back. World Champions BUNDOCK and ASHBY lie fourth overall, seven points off the lead, whilst a third French crew, François MORVAN and Matthieu VANDAME, complete the top five.

Results - click here