SASKIA Clark is in third place after the first day’s racing at the 470 World Championships in Israel.

Olympic silver medallist Clark, from Mersea Island, along with helm Hannah Mills began their challenge against 42 other female crews in their world title chase in Haifa today.

In the first race, on day one, they finished a disappointing 12th but battled back to grab third spot in the second race to lie in third place on 15 points going into Tuesday’s racing.

The Polish pair of Agnieszka Skrzypulec and Irmina Mrozek Gliszczynska sailed to two first places to top the board with two points.

Holland’s Afrodite Kyranakou and Anneloes Van Veen were in second after registering a seventh and second place finish.

But they dropped down to 29th after they suffered a disqualification in their second race.

In second place are the French duo of Camille Lecointre and Helene Defrance with a fifth and fourth finish.

World number one pairing Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie, from New Zealand, are seventh after finishing their first two races in second and 19th.