Harken Youth International- RNZYS crew wins by a 3 second margin
by Amber Roberts on 24 Feb 2013
Scott Barnes - 1 (RNZYS) International v Adam Middleton - 8 (RPNYC) Doyles Sails - Harken Youth International Match Racing Championships 2013 Amber Roberts
Scott Barnes and his team of Jackson MacFarlane, Rawiri Geddes and Michael Boucher representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron win the Harken Youth International Match Racing Championship 2013!
Barnes beat Adam Middleton (RPNYC) two - nil in this afternoon’s final. Barnes took the first race by 36 seconds, and in the second Middleton came back on the second beat. The wind was shifty and Middleton did really well to keep the game close.
Barnes had a two length lead going around the top mark for the second time; both had fantastic hoists around the off-set mark, with kites up and set within 1 length of the mark. Barnes was doing a good job defending his lead and coming in to the finish Middleton gybed onto starboard, Barnes delayed and then gybed. The pin was slightly favoured so the margin got even closer, but Barnes held on to take the race by just 3 seconds and claim victory and the 2013 Harken Cup!
Barnes commented 'We had a great day; we started off slow and made it hard for ourselves, but we got stuck in and got there in the end – stocked with the win!'
In the Petit Final, Sam Gilmour (RFBYC) and Claudia Pierce (KIYC) had some great racing; Pierce won the first race by 1 minute and 14 seconds after Gilmour copped a penalty turn in the pre-start for windward boat not keeping clear. Gilmour in the second race led from start to finish and won by 23 seconds. In the third and final race it was winner take all; Gilmour dominated the pre-start, led off the line, extended on the first beat and was able to take the win and third place overall for the series.
The Quarter Finals were unable to be completed due to a lack of wind, so the top four were straight into Semi Finals when the boats left the dock around midday in search of wind.
Barnes chose to sail Pierce but lost the first race by 9 seconds. Barnes then took the next two races and secured his spot in the Finals.
This left Gilmour and Middleton to sail off in the other Semi Final. Gilmour won the first, Middleton the second and it was down to the wire! Middleton had a strong and convincing win by 42 seconds to secure the second spot in the Finals.
After a frustrating start to the day towing boats around and searching for wind the Race Committee ended up back in front of the Squadron in a great afternoon northerly breeze.
All the competitors commented at this evening’s Prizegiving it was difficult with shifty tricky winds but all have had a fantastic time in Auckland.
Final Placings
1st Scott Barnes Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS)
2nd Adam Middleton Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club (RPNYC)
3rd Sam Gilmour Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC)
4th Claudia Pierce Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS)
5th Charlie Lalumiere Portland Yacht Club (PYC)
6th Malcolm Parker Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC)
7th Christophe Killian Balboa Yacht Club (BYC)
8th Hannah Osborne Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS)
9th George Anyon Bucklands Beach Yacht Club (BBYC)
10th Will Holz Chicago Yacht Club (CYC)
11th Nick Howe Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS)
12th Hampus Appelgren Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS)
13th Stephanie Doyle Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC)
14th Richard Minielly Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC)
Semi Finals
Flight One
Gilmour beat Middleton by 51s
Pierce neat Barnes by 9s
Flight Two
Middleton beat Gilmour by 17s
Barnes beat Pierce by 20s
Flight Three
Middleton beat Gilmour by 42s
Barnes beat Pierce by 6s
Petit Final
Gilmour beat Pierce by 20s
Gilmour beat Pierce by 23s
Pierce beat Gilmour by 1m 14s
Final
Barnes beat Middleton by 3s
Barnes beat Middleton by 36s
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