Melges 24 Christmas Sprint Series - Christmas comes early for Red Mist

by Hamish Nicol on 16 Dec 2014 2014 Melges 24 Christmas Sprint Series - Adelaide Sailing Club played host once again to the Melges 24 class for its 'Christmas Sprint Series', the third three day M24 regatta in five weeks held by ASC which, (in the same season the club is also hosting the M24 Australian Championship) says something about the power of persuasion, energy and organisation being put in to M24 class by its Australian Secretary Donna Evans. Not to miss the enthusiasm and continuing professionalism of the ever cheerful ASC PRO Mike Rogers, Commodore Mick Bowley and team of staff and volunteers.

For this event the SA based M24 fleet were excited to welcome visitors from Lake Macquarie, NSW in Class President David Young and his team with their boat 'No Comment' and Jonno Bannister and his team on 'Penultimate Challenge' from Mornington YC, Victoria. The event also marked the last heat in the 2014 Melges 24 Australasian Ranking Series.

Friday evening saw the fleet exiting ASC's cosy harbour straight onto the race-course in the vicinity of the start and leeward marks. The Friday evening revellers at the bar were offered a glamour sunset view from the ASC terrace of this one design sport boat charging about in a solid sea-breeze of 10-15 kts. After the obligatory warm up and start-line jousting PRO Rogers got the fleet swiftly away for a couple of shorter races in the early evening's glorious extended sun light. Adrenaline helmed by Luke Stephens was again on the pace early and made the best of those who bore away towards the shore to win with Robbie Deussen initially second but gybe-setting into a wind hole from which his Red Mist would not emerge. David Royle's Outlier lurked into second and visitor David Young's No Comment complete with David's Young daughter aboard in a pleasing third. Race two saw the same occupants of first and second berths but this time Dan O'Connell's Kowabunga did well in the downhill lane selection stakes for third and Bannister and Deussen in a dead heat for fourth an unfamiliar position for the 'Mist matelots.

Saturday was a splendid day at the Cricket's Adelaide Test Match with Nathan Lyons spinning Australia to a remarkable 48 run victory over India on a searing, airless day that surely would not have been unusual in Rajasthan. However, Saturday proved to be useless for sailing as M24 teams waited for breeze on an uncustomary West Beach waters 'sticky wicket'. With no help from the tide and not even a late sea breeze likely, umpire and PRO Rogers drew stumps ashore at 3.30pm which at least allowed the crews to get to know their visitors out of the sun during an early 'tea' and assure them that normal order service would be offered on Sunday.

And so indeed Sunday dawned breezy and cooler with a fresh Southerly already blowing at 9.00am that was certainly enough to make Adelaide's Sunday beach walkers hold onto their hats and get the waves up enough for some serious fun with a first race 15-18 kts breeze at 210 degrees remarkably almost the entire day. Like all one design racing in a fleet closely matched fleet it was to be about starts, tactical decisions and elimination of errors. It was also going to be about surfing in waves potentially favouring the locals over the lake and bay sailing visitors. As one succinctly put it 'it was a bloody fight out there mate, the whole way round the course'. The first race served as a mere loosener. Deussen shook off the rust and frustration and ground out a short lead over Adrenaline but took off like a scalded cat at the windward mark. Adrenaline went for the beach but 'Il Duce' dictated terms from afar with a blitzkrieg run on port opening a substantial lead interrupting recent form but perhaps more in line with pre-regatta expectations. After a general recall and a black flag second start sequence, it was all Red Mist again in race two. This time Concubine at last joined the fray following an extended breakfast at the dock hunting their main halyard, a worthy second. Bannister's 'Challenge narrowly avoided penalties for wild, unsolicited advances on Concubine at the leeward mark and avoiding blushes with a smart rounding at a penultimate moment before all was lost, came third. Adrenaline slunk in for fourth having to duck at the windward, recover from a poor start to second and then endure the unique reverse alchemy of a broach on starboard as they rounded the windward mark forced up by 'Challenge.

Sunday's third race was an absolute pearler. The breeze was up, the waves were up and the entire fleet Red Mist out front felt they were on for second the whole way round. It was one of those 'throw a blanket over 'em' races. Outlier this time stepped up with Concubine third and various boats starting to experience fatigue of bodies and material even as several gybing duels ensued. But it really didn't matter because apart from Adrenaline now having to count a fourth for the overall the main thing was that it was an epic battle with all boats in the mix until the end behind an imperious Red Mist.

So the fourth and final race! It was to be a death or glory run by Adrenaline with all boats away and rounding in close order following Concubine in first with Adrenaline rounding fourth throwing in a perfect gybe set into a blistering run. Forcing ‘Conky’ to gybe away, Adrenaline looked good to be able to control Deussen at last.

It wasn’t to be. The second windward saw Adrenaline with gear and other problems at a second gybe set allowing a just trailing Robbie to escape the smothering and wrestle home for first in spite of a blown main-sheet somehow. Concubine also escaped Adrenaline's clutches for second.

Overall the impressive team on Red Mist (including ex America’s Cup sailors, Deussen and Andrew Dyer, and experienced campaigners Nick Deussen, Matt Hansen and Rachel Paterson) had made their recovery complete and convincing. Four races on Sunday and four bullets. Adrenaline clung on to second with a consistent Outlier third.

The visitors pronounced themselves delighted with the accommodation, race management and hospitality and marvelled at the harbour and immediate access to the course as well, as of course, the close racing. The visitors were quickly up to speed in the waves too so no worries there. The stage is set for several more to join in what should be a superb M24 Australian Championship in January.

The Melges 24 Australian Championships will be held at Adelaide Sailing Club 8-11th January 2015.