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17th January 2009
by Peter Campbell
John Bertrand and his all star team of Andrew Palfrey and Ben Ainslie, sailing Triad have won the 2009 Australian Etchells Championship for the fourth time, with a day to spare.
Interestingly, the America’s Cup winning skipper seems to win the championships every six years – the first time he won was back in 1990-91.
This year’s Nationals have been sailed in generally boisterous seabreezes and lumpy seas on the Gulf of St Vincent off Adelaide, with 44 Etchells from all mainland States.
To win the event Bertrand scored a third in heat 6 and a win in heat 7 to have a seven point buffer over the Kiwi team of Alastair Gair on Valsheda, who also secured second place overall in the event with a day to spare, with a win in heat 6 and a third in heat 7.
Heat 6 started in S-SW winds building from 16 knots to 23 knots at the finish of heat 7 with two metre waves - challenging upwind and great surfing conditions downwind.
The final today again provided challenging conditions New Zealander Alistair Gair surfing home into second place in the race and second overall in Velsheda, with third overall going to Mark Bulka sailing Critical Balance. Victorian Bananas in Pajamas (Ian Johnson) placed fourth, last race winner Roni (Mark Bradford) fifth and local yachtsman Chris Pratt sixth in La Vie Dansante.
Only two boats from the Sydney Etchells fleet contested the Nationals, Sir James Hardy skippering Foolhardy and Fleet president Jan Muysken at the helm of Etch. Both finished well down the fleet of 45.
Sir James Hardy, who finished second in the Grand Masters division, said the conditions were “a bit too fresh although I do enjoy it…. I am the same age as the Sydney Harbor Bridge, though I think it will see me out.”
He went onto say “Etchells, clearly the most competitive senior class; Bertrand and Gair both class acts with Ainslie unquestionably the best small boat sailor in the world, and pushing the best of all time, Paul Elvstrom.”
Best placed New South Wales boats were Steampacket 7, skippered by State champion Rob Brown, and Avalon, skippered by Peter McNeil. Steampacket 7 placed seventh overall, Avalon eighth overall. Further information:
Peter Campbell – 0419 385 028 or email – peter_campbell@bigpond.com
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