OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship classes set

by Craig Heydon on 9 Jan 2011 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship 160 contesting crews were greeted by almost perfect sailing conditions on Sydney’s Botany Bay for the third day of racing.

A steady easterly breeze allowed all the fleets to complete the scheduled three races by mid afternoon on Sunday.

With just two races now remaining for the 2011 event the majority of classes are set to go right down to the wire with close racing again the common story from the six fleets.

Paul Darmanin and Aleks Vucic continued their complete domination of the Hobie 16 class, making it eight wins from eight starts to open up an unbeatable nine point lead over Lucas Price and Joshua Singh with Bryce Haffner and Caleb White four points further back in third.

In the Laser Radial fleet Great Britain’s Lorenzo Chiavarini still has the lead, but only just, with West Australian Matthew Wearn having the perfect day on the water with three wins from three starts to move within one point of the lead.

Wearn has moved up the ladder on each day of the regatta after a slow start and is now in with a real chance of taking out the Laser Radial class.

Alex South is the leading female sailor in 11th overall and bounced back with a second in the final race following a 13th and a 15th, she’s followed by Ashley Stoddart who is just two positions and seven points further back with the trophy to be decided on the final day.

The 29er class is incredibly tight with James Sly and Thomas Dwyer jumping from their overnight second position to take the regatta lead, just one point ahead of Josh Franklin and Lewis Brake.

Victoria’s Sly and Dwyer finished with a second, third and a first, enough to overtake their Queensland competitors with George Davies and Jack Lloyd third.

Tess Lloyd and Andrew Gillies are the leading mixed crew in fourth overall, while Philippa and Eliza Solly are the leading all female crew in eighth position.

Angus Galloway and Alex Gough continued their great form in the 420 class with two firsts and a second allowing them to open up a seven point lead over Carrie Smith and Ella Clark. Elloise Brake and Jaime Ryan are third overall nine points further back with Douglas Shephard and Madaline Salter the leading mixed crew.

Japan’s Yuichiro Kitamura and Victoria’s Thomas Trotman are tied for the lead in the Laser 4.7 class but Trotman’s day was cut short due to gear breakage prior to the start of the final race.

Madison Kennedy is the leading female sailor in fourth overall and is only one point adrift of the leading pair, with all three sailors in with a chance of winning the regatta.

Sam Treharne has held onto his lead in the Techno 293 class, but only just, with New Caledonia’s Antoine Aubert one point further back in second. Eamon Robertshaw had a consistent day with two seconds and a first to be third overall, with Annalise Gilbert the leading female sailor.

The 29er and Techno 293 fleets were featured on the live tracking, with the Hobie 16 and 420 classes to carry the units for the final day.

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