Laser world champion Paul Goodison and windsurfer Nick Dempsey both surged through the rankings in testing Weymouth conditions to secure Britain the lead in two of the ten Olympic classes at Skandia Sail for Gold.

Ben Ainslie demonstrated a rock-solid return to form by rising to second in the Finn class while Star sailors Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson also hit their straps on the third and best day of the regatta so far for the British Olympic sailing squad.

Dempsey, who lives and trains in Weymouth, took the overall lead after posting a first and second in the RS:X Mens class but admitted the conditions were anything but typical.

"There were lots of shifts and the right hand side of the course was working quite well which was not normal so we learned a lot," said Dempsey, the current windsurfing world champion.

"I am not winning because of any home advantage but because I'm racing better than some of the other guys so far. Everyone in the squad is sailing well so we are on target to do as well as we'd hoped."

Dempsey's wife Sarah Ayton, the double gold medallist, was not in such good spirits after finishing 25th in their last 470 Women's race of the day having earlier posted a third place while Penny Clarke and Katrina Hughes celebrated their return from injury to finish top among the Brits in eighth.

Paul Goodison completed his first victory in the Laser class for the overall lead while Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes found the 15 knot breeze to their liking to finish fourth as one of four British 49er teams in the top ten.

Giles Scott scored two outright wins in the Finns and is now in third place snapping at Ainslie's heels while Lucy MacGregor recorded a 100% record in the new women's match racing class to qualify for the quarter finals.