After a week of mixed conditions and close racing, Ian Fisher of Hallamshire Sailing Club emerged victorious at the Heineken Enterprise World Championship at Bray on Saturday, with titleholder Richard Estaugh of Chase SC finishing second.

While Estaugh declared himself happy with the result after top-six places in all six races, Fisher was less consistent. He won three races but finished 20th in the fourth race of the series which started last Monday.

Estaugh went to the front of the 104-boat fleet on Thursday but his reign was short-lived when Fisher recovered on Friday from his brief lapse to win his second race. Estaugh was once again under pressure, in second place by just two points.

The breeze freshened on Saturday for the final race, and Estaugh needed to win and also rely on Fisher finishing outside the top three.

Fisher got a clean getaway before the world champion worked steadily through the fleet to take up second place - and that was the running order to the end, with a difference of four points.

The top 10 was dominated by British entrants, reflecting the strength of dinghy sailing in the home of the Enterprise. Asian boats also fared well. Indian crews made a good opening to the series but the Pakistani crews took sixth and seventh places whereas their neighbours finished eighth and ninth.

Best of the Irish was Ger Dempsey, who narrowly missed a top ten overall result. After finishing third on Wednesday, he slipped on Friday and Saturday with 25th and 19th placings.

Earlier performances enabled him to avoid being overtaken by Irish champion Roy Van Maanen, who picked up later in the week, including an eighth on Friday.

For a time in the series, it looked like as many as five Irish boats would finish in the top 20. By Saturday, fortunes had changed and class master Marty Cuppage slipped back to 20th, while Steve Chadwick finished 23rd and Mark Usher finished 25th.