2nd December 2008
By Peter Campbell
With just three more Spring Series races to sail, only a handful of points separate the top two or three boats in most divisions and one design classes following Saturday’s racing with the Squadron on Sydney Harbour.
Conditions were in marked contrast to the near galeforce westerly winds of the previous Saturday, with the forecast south-westerly front easing away during the morning to give the fleet an enjoyable sail.
The Race Officer was forced to change the starting area from Kirribilli to Athol Bight and set Course 4&8 (S & SSE) resulting in a delayed start. It turned out to be an excellent choice, and a test of steering, sail handling and tactics as the breeze shifted in direction and strength, between 10-15 knots, with some stronger gusts.
Apart from being heat 14 of the Spring Series for the mixed divisions, Saturday was also a Short Inshore Division day, with more than 60 boats competing, an excellent turn-out considering it was a non-pointscore event for the International Etchells with many boats away at Gosford for the NSW Championships.
A first and a second on handicap in the past two Division 1 races has Charles Curran’s 60-footer Sydney a 4 point lead from Willyama (R Barron/T Sanlorenzo/T Stanley) in Division 1. After two discards (three is the maximum for the Spring Series), Sydney is on 26 points, Willyama on 30 points and Jackie Clare (Geoff & Debbie Davidson) on 35 points.
Saturday’s race saw the first win of the season for ISuper, skippered by Peter Campbell (not the author of this article) beating Sydney on corrected time by 28 seconds.
Consistent sailing throughout the Spring Series has given Peter Edwards’ Gondwana a net 16 points in Division 2, six points clear of Saturday’s winner Arcturus II (Peter Davenport) on 22 points, with Campeador (Jonathan & Mary Threlfall) on 26 points after two discards.
Saturday saw a fine line and handicap win by the cruising Etchells Wallop, owned by Bryan Collis and Stephan Wall, her first win of the Spring Series.
Only four points separate the top three boats on the pointscore with Bloodhound (A Rodger & M Shaw) on 25 points, Norn (Robert Albert) on 28 points and Senta (Terry Clarke) on 29 points.
The much-sailed Kerstin II, owned by John Bowman, Ken Chase and Julian Goldie, holds a 4 point margin on 18 points in Division 4 of the Spring Series from Hornblower (Peter Campbell) on 22 points and Brother Hood (Tony Craven & Jack Rigg) on 23 points. Saturday’s SIS race saw an excellent win by the Folkboat Keoki III (Peter Davison) from line honours winner Therapy (Tom Cehak).
In the International Dragons, Carl Ryves’ Sidewinder has won six races so far this Spring and is on 9 points, six points clear of Abacadabra (David Seaton) on 15 points.
The pointscore is really tight in the International Yngling class with Shining Star (Chris Harper) and Black Adder (Gary Pearce) equal on 21 points in the Spring Series, while in Scratch Series, Shining Star is on 11 points, with Pourquoi (Hamish Jarrett) on 12 points and Black Adder 17 points.
Saturday was a non-pointscore race for the International Etchells and with two Spring Series races to sail (20 December is a Mini Regatta), Fifteen (David Clarke & Andrew Smith) is on 16 points, six clear of Bushfire (Jervis Tilly) on 22 points while third in standings is Shindig (David Sturrock) on 33 points.
Gosford Sailing Club conducted the NSW Championship for the Etchells on Friday and Saturday, but racing was abandoned on Sunday, leaving five heats to decide the series, first place going to Steampacket 7, skippered by Rob Brown from the Pittwater fleet.
Steampacket V won two of the five races sailed to finish on 10 points (6-2-6-1-1) after one discard. B Squared took second place on 15 points, with Sydney fleet boats Fifteen (David Clark & Andrew Smith) and Avalon (Michael Bellingham) each finishing on 16 points. Fifteen’s placings were 1-4-4-11-7, Avalon’s 4-7-1-6-5; giving Fifteen third place overall on the countback.
Defending State Champion Bald Eagle (Tony Dunn & Glen Nattrass) also from the Sydney fleet placed 17th overall.
The Short Offshore Series is an overall season pointscore, but with one race to sail before Christmas. Bill & Elesa Bennett’s King Billy is on 7 points, having finished first in three of the six races. John Maclurcan’s Morag Bheag is on 12 points, followed by Limelight (Alan Husband) on 15 points. Close Window »
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