The Japanese crew of Miho Yoshioka and Ai Yoshida kept its medal charge alive on the second day of the women's 470 sailing competition Thursday, finishing its two races in third and seventh.
The results mean the Japanese boat drops from first to second, overtaken by New Zealand's Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie, who won one race and finished fourth in the other off Marina da Gloria on Guanabara Bay.
Six races remain and with each boat dropping its worst score — something the Kiwis were already forced to do due to a disqualification in the first race — the Japanese crew is in a good position, two points behind first and three ahead of Britain's Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark in third.