The points are stacking up and the runway is getting shorter at the 2023 Etchells World Championship in Maimi.
Day four saw three races which set the scene for the final day showdown.
Steve Benjamin (8, 1, 3) sailing with Michael Buckley, Ian Liberty and Dave Hughes, gained five places to take a 9 point lead with two final races scheduled for Friday.
John Sommi, Victor Diaz de Leon, Will Ryan and Beccy Anderson are second, tied on 38 pts with Jim Cunningham, Steve Hunt, Erik Shampain and Serena Vilage.
Winner of the first race (R5) was Malcolm Lamphere (1, 10, 10) with second Edward Tillinghast making a rare trip into single figures this week.
Winner of race 6 was Steve Benjamin ahead of Canada’s John Sommi (10, 2,12) with Thomas Carruthers (49, 3, 19) in third.
And taking the final race win was Rick Merriman (4, 25, 1) to round-off a good day that saw him climb 15 places. Second was Hong Kong’s Mark Thornburrow (20, UFD, 2) recovering from a UFD in race 6.
Best placed British entry are Shaun Frohlich, Duncan Truswell and Ed Wright (30, 15, 30 ) in 26th.
Two races are scheduled for Friday.
2023 Etchells World Championship – Day 4 leaders after 7 races (62 entries)
1st USA 1511 Steve Benjamin – – 6 1 10 31 8 1 3 – – 29 pts
2nd USA 1477 John Sommi – – 11 6 1 8 10 2 12 – – 38 pts
3rd USA 1504 Jim Cunningham – – 3 24 17 1 9 4 4 – – 38 pts
4th CAN 1501 Luke Lawerence – – 2 3 4 63/UFD 5 22 11 – – 47 pts
5th USA 926 Malcolm Lamphere – – 24 18 9 9 1 10 10 – – 57 pts
6th USA 1464 Jay Cross – – 13 5 12 11 11 15 7 – – 59 pts
7th HKG 1496 Mark Thornburrow – – 9 2 2 35 20 63/UFD 2 – – 70 pts
8th USA 1453 Peter Duncan – – 4 9 3 25 30 11 20 – – 72 pts
9th USA 1419 Scott Kaufman – – 63/UFD 27 8 3 14 18 5 – – 75 pts
10th USA 1177 Rick Merriman – – 26 20 63/UFD 4 4 25 1 – – 80 pts
11th USA 1472 Jud Smith – – 18 21 13 13 6 16 18 – – 84 pts
12th IRL 1425 James McHugh – – 1 40 23 37 19 6 14 – – 100 pts
13th USA 1454 George Francisco – – 22 11 5 15 31 56 16 – – 100 pts
14th USA 1415 Shannon W Bush – – 17 15 21 14 25 9 – – 101 pts
15th USA 1456 D Craig Mense – – 31 19 24 12 7 39 15 – – 108 pts
16th USA 969 Josh Powell – – 15 7 29 2 43 33 23 – – 109 pts
17th USA 1363 Michael Goldfarb – – 20 28 63/UFD 24 23 8 9 – – 112 pts
18th BER 671 John Hele – – 33 34 16 6 21 5 – – 115 pts
19th USA 1509 Argyle Campbell – – 14 12 43 63/UFD 3 23 22 – – 117 pts
20th USA 1296 Jose Fuentes – – 28 8 11 5 40 26 – – 118 pts
21st USA 1513 Jack Franco – – 10 36 7 41 12 13 – – 119 pts
22nd USA 1494 Andy Beadsworth – – 63/UFD 10 30 16 38 17 8 – – 119 pts
23rd USA 1373 Victor Cribb – – 21 37 15 10 32 41 6 – – 121 pts
24th USA 1481 Thomas Carruthers – – 12 33 6 63/UFD 49 3 19 – – 122 pts
25th NZL 1499 Anatole Masfen – – 23 4 18 52 24 12 – – 133 pts
26th GBR 1418 Shaun Frohlich – – 39 23 39 7 13 50 13 – – 134 pts
27th GBR 1455 James Markby – – 7 29 25 21 27 34 – – 143 pts