Barker takes the lead in NZ Keelboat Championships
by RAYC Media on 14 Nov 2008
Erle Williams, one of the few people to have clocked 40kts in a monohull, did well in the light airs of Day 2 of the 2008 Club Marine NZ Keelboat Nationals Richard Gladwell
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Light and shifty winds from the SE prevailed for most of the racing in the NZ National Keelboat Championships, sailed by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club in the outer Waitemata harbour.
Pool A started in the morning with light breezes that kept the race committee on their toes having to alter the course frequently.
Big movers from Pool A were Geoff Woolley winning the first race and finishing silver in the second, and Erle Williams
a bronze and gold in the second race. This bodes well for these two teams taking this momentum into the finals over
weekend. Overnight leader Andrew Wills was unable to continue his good form from Thursday however will be one to
watch in the finals.
Pool B started their two races with a significant drop in breeze after midday which limited the number of pool races
from 3 to 2. Dean Barker obviously liked these conditions with two bullets, shooting the ETNZ team to the top of the
rankings. Josh Junior demonstrated excellent consistently with two seconds cementing his place in the top ten.
Much to the relief of RAYC and John Weston there were no major incidents that occurred during Friday’s racing. Boat
6 (Boat Spray) has been repaired from a mark rounding incident on Thursday racing and ready to hit the water
tomorrow.
Heading into the weekend sees the 20 boats split into the gold and silver fleets based on the results of the pool races.
Dean Barker leads, closely followed by Andrew Wills and Erle Williams. The Silver fleet will contend the morning
session with the first race intending to start at 9:00am. The Gold fleet will conduct their 3 races in the afternoon
session with the remaining races completed on Sunday. The forecast for the weekend is for more wind which should
prove more of a challenge for the crews racing in the newly formed Platu 25 fleet.
Racing will conducted in the area of Mission Bay providing a great vantage for spectators with the presentation to be
held after 5:30 on Sunday to crown the 2008 NZ National Keelboat Champion.
Gold Fleet
Team/Skipper
4 Dean Barker RNZYS
2 Andrew Wills RNZYS
15 Erle Williams RAYC
11 Geoff Woolley KYC
5 Josh Junior RPNYC
13 Laurie Jury RNZYS
7 Scott Duncanson OMYC
10 Peter Burling TYPBC
1 Roger Pagani RNZYS
6 Simon Dickey RNZYS
Silver Fleet
Team/Skipper
16 Phil Robertson RNZYS
17 Rod Dawson RAYC
8 Derek Scott NPYC
19 Chris Brodie RAYC
12 Jacko Van Deventer KIYC
14 Melinda Henshaw TBC
9 Ross Currie TYPBC
18 Sarah Tootill BBYC
20 Glen Jeffery RYC
3 Patrick Baldi CNC
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