The British team filed a protest against Italy's Gian Bachisio Pira and Gialuca Raggi, who had finished top in the race-off to reach the winner-takes-all final in this new boat class, for which Britain’s Alexandra Rickham and Hannah Stodel and Canada’sJohn McRoberts and Scott Lutes had already qualified.

The Italians, who dropped from top position after being adjudged to have broken the rules, will have one other chance to qualify in a final race-off with three other teams.

A light breeze coupled with choppy waves on Lake Michigan resulted in tough going for the 98 competitors involved from 39 nations but the conditions allowed for racing in the 2.4 Norlin OD and the men’s and women’s Hansa 303 classes, as well as the new RS Venture Connect category.

After six 2.4 Norlin OD races, Damien Seguin of France, Matt Bugg of Australia and Dee Smith of the United States are separated by just two points at the top of the standings.

Just one race was completed today and Seguin was able to win it, which promoted him back into the lead he lost the day before to Bugg.

The Australian came through in third and is one point off Seguin.

Smith finished second in the sixth race of the series and is in third, one point off Bugg.

"t was really tricky today," said Bugg.

"There was not a lot of wind and quite a large sea state.

"It was really hard to keep the boat going and pretty much after the start it was a bit of a procession out to the right and up to the top mark.

"It was hard to make up places once you had your number in the procession.”

Three races are scheduled ahead of Saturday’s Medal Race and Bugg is excited about the prospect of the double-points decider.

"The medal race will be great," he said..

"It’s good in the Olympics,

"it doubles the importance and makes every decision twice as important.

"I like the high-pressure scenarios.

Germany’s Heiko Kroger is in fourth, 14-points off Seguin.

After two qualifying days in the men’s Hansa 303, the top 17 competitors advanced to the gold fleet.

The results from the qualification days no longer count so effectively the competitors were starting from scratch.

Ange Margaron of France secured the first race victory but could only follow up with an 11th in the second of the day.

Poland’s Piotr Cichocki won the second race of the day but he was disqualified from the opening race.

Germany’s Jens Kroker leads on eight points, Margaron follows on 12 and Christopher Symonds of Australia is third.

Olga Górnas-Grudzien of Poland retained and extended her lead in the women’s Hansa 303 even though she was across the line early in the opening race of the day.

The Polish racer discarded her 10th race for being on course side and then restored her momentum with a race win to end the day 10 points clear of Violeta del Reino of Spain.