Ahzai Smith was on the climb on the second day of the Optimist World Championship in Limassol, Cyprus, yesterday.

The 14-year-old made the largest gains among the local contingent competing at the regatta, surging 43 places up the leaderboard from 249th to 206th in an overall fleet of 264.

He finished 35th and 37th in the third and fourth races of the 12-race series.

The Warwick Academy pupil will be looking to build on his steady displays when racing continues today.

Smith, the grandson of Robert Trew, the former Warwick Workmen’s Club cricketer, was among four local sailors, Sebastian Kempe, Christian Ebbin and Leyli Walker, also moving up the standings.

Saltus pupil Kempe, who tops the local leaderboard in Cyprus, climbed five places to 45th after producing finishes of nineteenth and fourteenth.

Ebbin came ashore with finishes of 41st and sixteenth to move up from 110th to 105th.

The Somersfield Academy pupil was crowned senior fleet champion at the Volvo Gill Optimist British Nationals and Open Championship in Plas Heli, Pwllheli, North Wales, earlier this month.

Walker, of Somersfield, advanced from 208th to 204th after finishing 60th and 29th in her pair of races yesterday.

Magnus Ringstead slipped from 198th to 230th after finishing 53rd and 65th.

Marco Gradoni, of Italy, remains the overall leader after winning all four races in the Yellow Fleet while Anja von Allmen, of Switzerland, remains the top girl and is seventh overall.

The championship, which includes a qualifying series and a final series, is being hosted by the Famagusta Nautical Club and runs until September 6.