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Sail-World.com : Audi Etchells Worlds Day 4 - Muir keeping Bertrand honest
Audi Etchells Worlds Day 4 - Muir keeping Bertrand honest
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John Bertrand and his crew of Ben Ainslie and Andrew Palfrey (AUS) have reclaimed the 2009 Audi Etchells World Championship lead today on Port Phillip in a thrilling Race 6 finish with Graeme Taylor/Ben Morrison-Jack/Grant Wharington (AUS), who won the race, Bertrand having to tack to lay the finish and having no alternative but to follow Taylor’s stern over the finish line.
Taylor led around every mark in big 16-24 knot winds, until just before the final leeward mark, when Bertrand gained control of the race. However, coming up the beat to the finish on the windward leeward course, Bertrand was to the left of the course, Taylor closer to the middle. It was not until the final seconds that a clear picture of who would win emerged, such was the closeness of the race.
Bertrand was third around the windward mark the first time, but moved up into second place by the first leeward gate, which he maintained until taking the lead at the last leeward mark.
'We went for a pretty conservative start and worked the right-hand side of the course. We worried we wouldn’t get out of where we were, but the wind went right,' said Bertrand’s crew, Andrew Palfrey.
'We made gains on the downwind legs and I think we were lucky to get solid winds. We thought it would be light and shifty like it’s been since the start of the series,' said Palfrey, adding: The Queensland guys (main rivals Jason Muir and crew) are sailing great.'
Palfrey went on to say: 'I feel privileged to be sailing with these guys (Bertrand and Ainslie). It’s a unique experience and I’m really enjoying the competition and the challenge.'
This result moves Childerley and his crew; Robert Elliott and Sam Richmond, up to third place overall, 15 points off the lead, in what is set to be a thrilling end of series to decide the winner.
Yesterday’s overall leader, Jason Muir/Matthew Chew/Paul Wyatt/Bucky Smith (AUS) sailed to their usual consistent standard to finish fourth, a matter of seconds behind the top three.
Muir and his crew from Queensland are sailing an exceptional Championship and are now sitting comfortably in second place on the leaderboard, just five points short of leader Bertrand, after competitors were able to drop their worst race score after Race 6.
They have sailed the most consistently of the entire fleet to-date, their worst score a 10th. Muir says: 'That was the plan from Day 1, to sail consistently, cleanly and conservatively.'
However, those plans will go up a notch in the next couple of days. 'We’ll run our own race in Race 7 tomorrow and look at the top five overall after that.
'In races eight and nine we’ll sail more aggressively and will keep an eye on John Bertrand, Jud Smith (AUS), Stuart Childerley (GBR) and a couple of others.
'If it comes down to the last race between Bertrand and us, then yes, we will hunt them aggressively, because that’s the only way we’ll win.'
Muir went on to say: 'We’re stoked with our fourth place today. It’s got us in second place overall. Bucky (Smith) is great with weather and he’ll have that side of things covered for the rest of the Championship.'
Eighty five boats started today’s race, Tim Patton and his Bermudan crew did not compete. Along with three other crews, skippered by Bruce McBriar (AUS), Martin Vezina (BER) and Guyon Wilson (AUS) Patton failed to weigh in as required by the rules.
Jud Smith’s crew, sailing for Australia, fell down the leaderboard into fifth overall today, following a 16th place; their second worst for the Audi Etchells Worlds so far, while Race 4 second placegetter Laurence Mead (GBR) moved up into fourth place overall in what is shaping up to be rousing finale come Saturday.
Three others, Rob Brown (AUS), Mark Bradford (AUS) and Dan O’Grady (IRL) were Black Flagged on the second attempt at a start after an earlier general recall.
Brown explained his BFD: 'We wanted to start at the Committee Boat because the breeze was flicking and we wanted to go at the start bow down. Skip Lissiman and Jason Muir were there and I didn’t want to upset their start, so I tacked early and struggled to get over the clearance mark and that was the end of our day.'
Although the forecast was for light breeze and showers today, the true picture was nothing of the sort. Sunny skies and good solid winds which shuffled the results up a bit in the Royal Brighton Yacht Club hosted event.
Competitors agree that the Race Management team, headed by PRO Ross Wilson, are doing a remarkable job. The team has had a tough job setting courses and moving marks in oscillating winds. Today was difficult as the course was about to be laid when the wind shifted to the north and so it was up stumps in winds that varied between 16-22 knots, the pressure dropping down to 16 as the race went on, the breeze oscillating either side of north throughout.
Three races remain in the nine race series, with two races scheduled for tomorrow and one for Saturday, both days starting from 12.00pm.
www.audietchellsworlds2009.com.au/
by Di Pearson
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http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=54764
7:43 AM Thu 12 Mar 2009 GMT
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