VX One 2015 National Championships overall

by Andrew York on 2 Feb 2015 The VX One National Championships were sailed out of the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club on the Australia Day long weekend. Ten boats travelled from Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney with one owner flying in from Perth for the regatta.

Conditions on Saturday were perfect with a 12 knot Nor Easter building quickly to 18 knots. Andrew York in Speedwagon was quick out of the blocks and lead around all of the marks to win three races. Scott Lawson also showed very good speed to record three seconds with third place taken by Troy Croft in the first, Joel McDonald in the second and Fred Kasparek in the third race.

The forecast for Sunday had not been good all week but you can’t always trust the forecast. With predictions of five knots out of every direction the fleet was pleasantly surprised by conditions similar to Saturday. The placings in race four were identical to race three on Saturday with Yorky first, Scotty second and Freddo third. Race five was looking very similar until Yorky had a brain fade and headed for the line a lap early while leading. This handed the race to Scott with Fred taking second and Michael James stepping up to third. The PRO made the sixth race a three lapper instead of two but the same faces popped up again, Yorky then Scott followed by Freddo.

On Sunday night Scott led the standings as all races were still counting. For Yorky to win he needed at least one of the two races to be sailed on Monday for a drop to come into play.

As the fleet rigged on Monday morning the rain was drizzling down and there was not much wind on the lake. There was good a SouEaster in Sydney and the crews were checking its progress up the coast.

When the rain cleared the fleet took to the water and the race was started in eight to ten knots from the South East. There was not much in it up the first beat with Scott leading Yorky around the top mark with Michael in the Beast just behind them. There was only about five knots as they rounded and Scott elected to gybe shortly after the spreader mark. He did not have much pressure and Yorky saw some coming so he held onto starboard tack. By the time Scott gybed back Michael was on his air passing him and Yorky was in the pressure. By the time the breeze reached Michael and Scott, Yorky had opened up a lead of about 200 metres. The places did not change on the final lap with Yorky taking his sixth win, Michael second and Scott third.

The breeze was lighter in the final race, only about five or six knots with plenty of holes in it. Scott led to the top mark from Michael and Yorky. There was only a few boat lengths between the three of them at the bottom mark with Michael just rounding ahead of Scott. Michael & Scott had a tacking duel up the beat and stretched away from Yorky. Michael maintained his advantage at the top and down the final run to the finish.

Yorky had a pretty dominant performance in his new Mackay boat with Ullman sails to win from Scott who also had an edge on the rest of the fleet. Freddo sailed a consistent regatta to secure the final podium position.