Tom Burton has shot into the lead in the hotly contested Laser class at Sail Melbourne, with a pair of day two bullets suggesting the fire is back in the belly of the Rio Olympic champion.

Burton won both races on another steamy afternoon on Port Phillip Bay, turning around yesterday’s results after which he trailed national team colleagues Jeremy O’Connell and Matt Wearn, who are now second and third, respectively.

“The calibre of our guys is so high, if you’re not right on top of your game you’re not going to win races. Today I probably sailed better. Yesterday I didn’t sail too badly, but just not good enough,” Burton said.

Burton admitted that his post-Rio performances had been below his standard - despite capturing a World Championship silver medal in September - but revealed his aim to return to peak performance by the end of the southern season.

“I set a few goals through the summer, trying to keep training so that in Europe next year I can come at it at 100 per cent,” he said.

“Throughout this year I was just kind of sailing at what my potential was at the time. I don’t think it was anywhere near my fitness levels and motivation levels from previous years. I’m kind of using the Australian summer to get back to that level, hopefully.”

While Burton seeks a return to his best, another team on the build are 49erFX pair Amelia Stabbackand Ella Clark, who hold a slender advantage in their class after five races.

“We’ve been together since April, just before we went to Europe, and at the moment we’re not too focused on the other boats,” Stabback said.

“A lot of our improvement is just us being together and working on our processes. We’re one of the newer teams.”

Stabback said the team took some risks in the inconsistent breeze and were punished at times, though overall they were pleased with the outcome.

“We’re trying to get better and better,” she said.

“It’s good having all the other girls in the team, we’re pretty close and if you make a mistake they’re right there.”

In other notable performances on day two, Finn sailor Jake Lilley continued to impress with another two wins to extend his lead over training partner and former Olympic gold medallist, Tom Slingsby, and current Finn World Champion, Max Salminen of Sweden.

Mat Belcher and Will Ryan are locked in a battle with Japan’s Daichi Takayama and Kimihiko Imamura, on four net points each, while a one and a two for David Gilmour and Joel Turner put them ahead of Victorian brothers Will and Sam Phillips in the 49er.

Results for Australian Sailing Team, Australian Sailing Squad and Class Training Squad Members:

Men’s One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight) - Finn

Jake Lilley (QLD/QAS) – AST: 1,(2),1,1 – 1st

Oliver Tweddell (VIC/VIS) – AST: 3,(5),5,2 – 5th

Lewis Brake (QLD/QAS) – ASS: (12),8,7,4 – 6th

Jock Calvert (TAS/TIS) – ASS: (11),10,6,5 – 8th

Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser

Tom Burton (NSW/NSWIS) – AST: (3),2,1,1 – 1st

Jeremy O'Connell (VIC/VIS) – ASS: 1,(3),2,2 – 2nd

Matt Wearn (WA/WAIS) – AST: 2,1,(3),3 – 3rd

Luke Elliott (WA/WAIS) – ASS: 5,4,4,(7) – 4th

Finn Alexander (NSW/NSWIS) – ASS: 7,8,(16),9 – 9th

Mitch Kennedy (QLD/QAS) – ASS: 9,6,(16),11 – 10th

Two Person Dinghy – 470M/W

Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan (QLD/QAS) – AST: 2,1,4,1 – 1st

Chris Charlwood and Josh Dawson (WAIS/NSWIS) – ASS: 4,4,2,2 – 3rd

Carrie Smith and Jaime Ryan (WAIS/NSWIS) – ASS: 3,6,3,(8) – 5th

Nia Jerwood and Monique de Vries (WA/WAIS) – ASS: (6),5,6,6– 6th

Sophie McIntosh and Orla Mulholland-Patterson (NSWIS/WAIS) – ASS: 8,(10),9,8 – 8th

Dana Tavener and Katherine Shannon (NSW/NSWIS) – ASS: (9),8,7,9 – 9th

Shelley White and Emma Baillie (QLD/QAS) – ASS: (11),11,10,6 – 11th

Men’s Skiff - 49er

David Gilmour and Joel Turner (WAIS/QAS) – AST: 1,(5),4,1,2 – 1st

Sam Phillips and Will Phillips (VIC/VIS) – AST: (4),4,1,4,3 – 2^nd

Kurt Hansen and Harry Morton (NSW/NSWIS) – ASS: 8,7,(10),2,1 – 5th

Lachlan Gilmour and Ryan Donaldson (WA/WAIS) – ASS: 6,2,(7),7,4 – 6th

Jim Colley (ASS) and Simon Hoffman (NSW/NSWIS): 7,9,6,10,13 – 10th

Women’s Skiff – 49erFX

Amelia Stabback and Ella Clark (NSWIS/WAIS) – ASS: (3),1,1,2,3 – 1st

Tess Lloyd (ASS) and Harry Mighell (VIC/VIS): – (4),4,2,1,1 – 2nd

Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot (NSW/NSWIS) – CTS: 2,2,4,3,2 – 3^rd

Caitlin Elks and Hayley Clark (WA/WAIS) – ASS: 1,3,(5),4,5 – 4^th

Mixed Multihull - Nacra 17

Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (NSW/NSWIS) – AST: (2),1,1,1,1 – 1st

Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland (NSW/NSWIS) – CTS: 1,(2),2,2,2 – 2nd

Tayla Rietman and Lachlan White (VIS/NSWIS) – CTS: 3,(4),3,3,4 – 3rd

Connor Nicholas (CTS) and Alexander South (WA/WAIS) – (4),3,4,4,3 – 4th

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