Despite lighter winds more suited to her style, Hong Kong's Lee Lai-shan was unable to take advantage on the penultimate day of the World Sailing Championships in Cadiz, Spain. San San, who, uncharacteristically, had only managed one top-10 finish in the first eight races, slipped further down the overall standings to 12th after a 23rd place in race nine and a 13th in race 10.
'She showed some better speed in the lighter winds of the last race,' said Hong Kong coach Rene Appel before admitting there would have to be a full post mortem on their return after Hong Kong's most disappointing regatta of the year.
'There are a number of unresolved issues that we will not be able to answer until we get some time to test when we are all back in Hong Kong - issues that we need to find answers for as none of us here are happy with the results,'' Appel said. 'We're determined to perform much better in the next year's World Championships in April 2004 in Turkey.
'We have been trying to figure out what has affected our performances here, and have come up with a lot of 'maybes', he said.
'Surely the long period spent overseas - some six months as a result of the Sars virus - has started to take its toll. A large part of the training programme and preparations have had to be taken out. There are some physical preparation issues that were affected as a result as well.'
Israeli teenager Lee Korsitz still leads the women's fleet, but only by six points from New Zealand's Barbara Kendall. Shandong's Lai Mingshuang was third 20 points adrift.
