Australian Youth Championships - Dying breeze on Day 4

by Elisha Keating on 10 Jan 2014 In the Australian Youth Championships 2014 competitors were greeted with a light northerly gradient breeze on day four, at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron and Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club.

With light winds forecast for most of the day, race officials knew that they would have their work cut out for them to get the scheduled two races for the day.

Whilst the Techno 293s were able to get all their racing in for the day, other classes were not so fortunate, with one race being completed before the dying breeze resulted in all courses flying AP over H at 12:30, sending all sailors back to shore.

With expectations and hopes that a sea breeze would fill in from the south, race officials waited until 4p.m. With no sea breeze imminent, there was no choice but to fly AP over A and postponed all further racing for the day.

After seven races the Western Australian 420 crew of Emmerson Carlberg and Lachlan Gilmour remain in the lead, 10 points clear of New Zealanders Sam Barnett and Zak Merton who moved up the ranks ahead of Dana Tavener and Catherine Pagett in third.

29er Sailors Jim Colley and Shaun Connor continue their excellence form sitting on seven points after seven races, nine points ahead of Kurt Hansen and Harry Morton with Charlie Wyatt and Tom Siganto on 33 points, holding their place in third.

Western Australian Sailors fill the top three spots in the Laser Radial Class.

Alistair Young continued his winning streak on 21 points ahead of Connor Nicholas, followed by Christopher Charlwood only one point behind in third.

Victorian Anna Phillip sailed yet another fantastic race. Phillip finished second in race seven to put her in 10th position overall, a whopping 55 points ahead of Emily Carstairs, the next female in the Laser Radial Fleet.

Victorian Jack Graves takes a slender lead in the Laser 4.7 fleet one point over yesterday’s leader Hamish Wiltshire (NT), who is tied with William Fox (VIC) sitting on 27 points.

The Techno 293s, the only class to complete the days racing schedule, sailor Jock Calvert sits at the top of the table. Tasmanian Sailor Morgan Davies after completing eight races in the Championship remains in second with Lara O’Brien in third.

In the Hobie 16 class Michelle Bursa and Chelsea Haynes hold onto their lead, ahead of the Wilmot siblings Ryan and Annie who sit on 13 points, only four points ahead of Caleb and Ethan White.

Tomorrow will see the final day and hopefully some wind at the 2014 Australian Youth Championships. Following the days racing is the presentation ceremony - celebration, kicking off at 6pm at Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, where the 2014 Australian Youth Sailing Team is also scheduled to be announced.

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