Ireland will now have three boats at the Sailing regatta of the Sydney Olympics following a highly creditable performance by Mark Mansfield and David O'Brien at the Star World Championship yesterday.

With 22 knot winds creating ideal conditions on Cheaspeake Bay, Maryland, the Cork/Dublin duo finished in sixth place, moving from ninth to fourth overall with just the final race remaining.

Having already met the national criteria of two top-12 (by nation) results at Grade One events, the Star Worlds had marked their only opportunity to meet the Olympic organisers' qualification criteria.

Meanwhile, 470-class sailors Tom Fitzpatrick and David McHugh ended their World Championship in Hungary, finishing 26th overall. The double-handed dinghy crew have three events available to attain the criteria for Olympic qualification.