Australians lead M30 Worlds 2008

by Bunny Wayt on 4 Oct 2008 Race committees are often criticized for not running races in big breezes. PRO Peter Reggio sent the fleet up the bay today and managed to deliver two additional races in this World Championship.

The big breeze delivered a wild ride today in Newport as the fleet of M 30s battled to keep upright in steady 23 to 27 knot west-southwest winds. Reports of 30 knot gusts were affirmed throughout the day and boats that chose their fractional kites kept the most control. Teams choosing their masthead spinnakers were faster, but the speed was often costly resulting in multiple wipeouts on every downwind leg.

Jim Richardson’s Barking Mad proved once again they know how to handle the big breeze, posting finishes of 4th and 1st to take Boat of the Day honours.

Due to a collision which resulted in damage to Australian Lewis Perrin’s Superfly at the start of today’s second race, Mascalzone Latino retired from Race 8 and would appear to be out of the running for the title of this no throw-out event. The regatta now seems to be Australian Guy Stening’s to lose. Stening is sure to be covering Richardson and Barking Mad tomorrow.

M30 Worlds - Top ten boats after Eight Races:

Pos	Bow/Sail	Boat	Skipper	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total
												Points
1	08/ AUS 7151	Optimum	Guy Stening	1	1	3	9	1	2	2	7	26
2	11/ USA 65	Barking Mad	Jim Richardson	7	2	6	11	2	4	4(1)	1	37
3	05/ ITA 2121	Mascalzone Latino	Vincenzo Onorato	3	10	1	1	3	1	3	22/DNF	44
4	22/ USA 707	Groovederci 706	Deneen Demourkas	5	6	4	7	8	6	10	4	50
5	23/ CAN 58	Mummy	Geoff Brown	2	9	10	3	5	8	13	2	52
6	15/ USA 35	Groovederci 35	John Demourkas	14	5	2	12	9	3	8	5	58
7	01/ USA 691	Adrenalin	Jeff Maludy	12	3	14	6	13	5	7	6	66
8	17/ USA 55	Illusion	John Podmajersky	11	8	9	4	10	7	9	12	70
9	31/ AUS 6100	Southern Sun	Bruce Eddington	8	11	17	5	7	22/DNF	1	8	79
10	34/ USA 316	Team BOLD	Nelson Stephenson	16	7	7	14	12	9	11	9	85