Five times World Champion Glenn Ashby wins A-Cat Pre-Worlds

by Rob Kothe on 31 Dec 2008 Five times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby reminded everyone just why he is the A-Cat King today. He has produced a dominating display in the five race Australian A-Cat titles on Lake Macquarie. His scorecard was 1, 1,3,3,1 – an impressive result in an 85 boat fleet.

The vertically challenged sailor, he is only 5 foot six inches (1.68 metres) has blistering speed, surprising when another six inches or 150mm would get more weight to windward.

Ashby has a different trapezing style to most of his competitors; his body is much lower on the boat, his airborne hull seems to just skim over the waves. His head is so low it’s clear he often can’t see the leeward hull, but his boat is flat and flat is fast.

Ashby says ‘It comes from the Tornado. Darren (Bundock) is a low trapper and I need to be lower than helm, so I've always been a very low trapper. It provides maximum efficiency and I need that because I am far from tall.'

As well as speed, Ashby has always been a very smart sailor; he has five A-Cat World titles to prove that. But his silver medal Olympic Tornado campaign has sharpened his course skills even more, in the last two years especially.

He agrees. ‘The last two years of the Tornado campaign have certainly improved my racing skills. Things like picking starting positions and shifts. The Olympic campaign has polished up some of the edges.’

‘I guess it comes out best on tricky days. Today was a really ‘woolly’ day; we had a westerly from 6 knots to 28 knots, shifty, puffy wind. Really tricky conditions. There were some huge snakes and ladders. It was not a speed day; it was an eyes out of the boat day.’

In the first race of the day, the fourth in the series, Steve Brewin won from Tom Slingsby, Glenn Ashby and Brad Collett. In Race Five, Ashby took the gun from Andrew Landerberger and Brad Collett. Slingsby was seventh.

2007 Australian A Class Champion Steve Brewin commented back in the boat park, ‘Glenn is always very hard to beat, so it was nice to do that in the first race today. On Monday he gave us a sailing lesson right from the start and that was a wake up call.

‘I would have said that Tom Slingsby is probably the biggest improver that I’ve seen in a long while, in the shortest time. Today he had a 2 and a 7. Scott Anderson’s doing a lot of training with Tom and certainly he’s come up to pace.’

In fourth place overall was BMW Oracle America’s Cup match racer James Spithill, who had a 16, 12 day after a second and seven yesterday.

‘I’ve been able to string together a few good results. However I think my family who were watching on the first day, just think it’s a miracle I have not capsized. I’ve almost done it coming into the finish. Yesterday in one race, closing on the finish line I just pulled off this gybe and my boat was right on the edge. I somehow flattened it out and it was a Spithill family disappointment, obviously’ he laughed.

Slingsby, dual World Laser champion is another freshman in the A-Cat's who is messing with the pecking order.

He came ashore today with a huge grin on his face, after a second in this morning's race ahead of his Australian Sailing Team mate Ashby and then a seventh this afternoon.

Slingsby commented ‘Starting catamarans is a whole new thing for me, so timed runs in are a bit different for me; but it’s pretty crazy. I’ve been lucky to get off the start so far. I had one bad one yesterday.

‘Glenn’s quick. It’s not the only thing. I think off the start line people can match him; he’s just smart and his boat handling is better than everyone else’s.

‘In one race I saw him duck ten boats. It was just one of the biggest duckings, but then he came out and went the right way and was gone. I think his 'smarts' are what are getting him in front of everyone. He knows how to sail his boat, that’s for sure.

‘I like plenty of wind because I am a bitter heavier than most. The more shifts the better, (like today) I think. I’d prefer having a bit more of a mind game than everyone else. But it’s fun, it’s a great boat, a great class and I’m really enjoying it' concluded Slingsby.

The A-Cat Worlds commence at Belmont 16 foot Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie on the 3rd January, with the Practice race. The Championship starts on January 3rd and racing concludes on the 9th January.

Spectators are most welcome on the water and at Belmont 16 foot Sailing Club.

		Race 1		Race 2		Race 3		Race 4		Race 5
Sail No.	State	Place	Pts	Place	Pts	Place	Pts	Place	Pts	Place	Pts	Overall Pts	Rank
AUS 1	VIC	1	1	1	1	3	3	3	3	1	1	9	1	Glenn Ashby
AUS 4	NSW	3	3	5	5	12	12	1	1	4	4	25	2	Steve Brewin
AUS 24	NSW	4	4	6	6	22	22	6	6	2	2	40	3	Andrew Landenberger
AUS 938	NSW	8	8	7	7	2	2	16	16	12	12	45	4	James Spithill
AUS 10	QLD	11	11	8	8	20	20	4	4	3	3	46	5	Brad Collett
AUS 902	NSW	20	20	3	3	7	7	12	12	9	9	51	6	Scott Anderson
AUS 889	VIC	6	6	13	13	10	10	14	14	11	11	54	7	Graeme Parker
AUS 832	NSW	9	9	14	14	24	24	2	2	7	7	56	8	Tom Slingsby
AUS 907	VIC	2	2	33	33	14	14	9	9	6	6	64	9	Dave McKenzie
ESP 11	ESP	5	5	9	9	38	38	5	5	15	15	72	10	Manuel Calavia
AUS 908	VIC	14	14	4	4	35	35	7	7	17	17	77	11	Dave Brewer
AUS 936	VIC	7	7	34	34	1	1	30	30	20	20	92	12	Stephen Brayshaw
AUS 924	VIC	34	34	16	16	15	15	18	18	13	13	96	13	Ben Deed
AUS 7	VIC	16	16	31	31	4	4	23	23	24	24	98	14	Hamish Sinclair
AUS 893	VIC	10	10	29	29	30	30	19	19	14	14	102	15	Dave Ellis
AUS 37	NSW	29	29	17	17	28	28	21	21	21	21	116	16	Bruce McArthur
AUS 8	VIC	22	22	19	19	34	34	20	20	23	23	118	17	Graeme Harbour
AUS 09	VIC	25	25	23	23	16	16	10	10	52	52	126	18	John Dowling
AUS 865	VIC	15	15	15	15	51	51	11	11	38	38	130	19	Stuart Scott
GER 12	GER	21	21	21	21	31	31	27	27	32	32	132	20	Donald Beike
AUS 831	VIC	32	32	28	28	17	17	17	17	39	39	133	21	David Parker
GER 14	GER	dnf	98	2	2	9	9	7	7	19	19	135	22	Bob Baier
AUS 923	VIC	35	35	38	38	8	8	31	31	26	26	138	23	Simon McKeon
AUS 9	QLD	30	30	36	36	19	19	39	39	28	28	152	24	Wayne Mercer
DEN 1	DEN	dnf	98	25	25	11	11	13	13	10	10	157	25	Thomas Paasch
GER 599	GER	36	36	37	37	29	29	33	33	22	22	157	26	Matthias Dietz
AUS 922	NSW	12	12	26	26	6	6	dnf	98	16	16	158	27	Mark Johnson
SUI 202	SUI	27	27	10	10	21	21	dns	98	5	5	161	28	Luc Du Bois
AUS 021	NSW	19	19	24	24	45	45	32	32	46	46	166	29	Ben Geisker
NZL 245	NZL	18	18	12	12	37	37	OCS	98	8	8	173	30	Mike Drummond
AUS 880	NSW	13	13	dsq	98	41	41	24	24	27	27	203	31	Gavin Vize
GER 76	GER	26	26	40	40	13	13	dnf	98	29	29	206	32	Helmut Stumhofer
AUS 934	QLD	47	47	52	52	49	49	25	25	33	33	206	33	Peter Bradbury
AUS 883	NT	42	42	49	49	46	46	29	29	45	45	211	34	Chris Batenburg
AUS 864	VIC	52	52	45	45	43	43	40	40	31	31	211	35	Matt Firth
AUS 101	VIC	dnf	98	35	35	25	25	37	37	18	18	213	36	John Richards
GBR 33	GBR	37	37	57	57	47	47	26	26	50	50	217	37	Nigel Lovett
ESP 42	ESP	41	41	43	43	52	52	38	38	44	44	218	38	Mariano Martinez Pina
NED 28	NED	28	28	22	22	dnf	98	42	42	30	30	220	39	Pieter Jan Dwarshuis
AUS 935	NSW	46	46	46	46	58	58	34	34	40	40	224	40
ESP 9	ESP	48	48	32	32	33	33	50	50	63	63	226	41
AUS 13	NT	dnf	98	39	39	44	44	22	22	34	34	237	42
AUS 862	NT	43	43	56	56	42	42	52	52	49	49	242	43
NZL 233	NZL	38	38	69	69	64	64	51	51	35	35	257	44
FRA 7	FRA	dnf	98	27	27	5	5	35	35	OCS	98	263	45
AUS 868	QLD	49	49	59	59	67	67	41	41	54	54	270	46
AUS 19	VIC	44	44	54	54	53	53	28	28	dns	98	277	47
SUI 216	SUI	17	17	18	18	dnf	98	48	48	dns	98	279	48
AUS 913	QLD	dnf	98	30	30	18	18	36	36	dnf	98	280	49
GER 95	GER	54	54	47	47	60	60	63	63	60	60	284	50
AUS 836	NSW	40	40	41	41	55	55	dnf	98	53	53	287	51
NED 1	NED	dnf	98	66	66	36	36	45	45	42	42	287	52
AUS 839	VIC	53	53	70	70	68	68	44	44	55	55	290	53
AUS 884	VIC	51	51	68	68	69	69	61	61	51	51	300	54
AUS 837	QLD	57	57	64	64	74	74	57	57	48	48	300	55
AUS 914	VIC	dnf	98	42	42	27	27	dns	98	36	36	301	56
AUS 911	VIC	45	45	55	55	54	54	49	49	dnf	98	301	57
GER 79	GER	dnf	98	44	44	66	66	53	53	47	47	308	58
AUS 773		56	56	72	72	62	62	65	65	57	57	312	59
AUS 661	NT	58	58	73	73	70	70	62	62	59	59	322	60
AUS 912	QLD	dnf	98	60	60	75	75	56	56	41	41	330	61
GBR 007	GBR	dnf	98	11	11	26	26	dns	98	dns	98	331	62
NED 3	NED	22	22	dnf	98	dnf	98	15	15	OCS	98	331	63
AUS 800	VIC	59	59	77	77	76	76	60	60	62	62	334	64
AUS 839	VIC	dnf	98	67	67	64	64	47	47	58	58	334	65
AUS 788	NSW	dnf	98	71	71	63	63	46	46	56	56	334	66
AUS 844	VIC	22	22	20	20	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	336	67
GER 56	GER	dnf	98	50	50	39	39	55	55	dnf	98	340	68
AUS 765	NSW	dnf	98	63	63	59	59	59	59	61	61	340	69
GER 21	GER	dnf	98	48	48	dns	98	54	54	43	43	341	70
NZL 1	NZL	dnf	98	dns	98	23	23	dnf	98	25	25	342	71
AUS 6	NSW	39	39	58	58	50	50	dns	98	dns	98	343	72
ITA	ITA	dnf	98	62	62	48	48	43	43	dns	98	349	73
AUS 748		50	50	51	51	57	57	dns	98	dns	98	354	74
AUT 1	AUT	31	31	dsq	98	dns	98	dns	98	37	37	362	75
AUS 849	QLD	55	55	74	74	71	71	66	66	dnf	98	364	76
ITA	ITA	dnf	98	53	53	32	32	dns	98	dns	98	379	77
AUS 869	NSW	dnf	98	76	76	56	56	58	58	dns	98	386	78
IRL 5	IRL	dnf	98	75	75	61	61	64	64	dns	98	396	79
AUS 824	QLD	33	33	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	425	80
AUS 802	NT	dnf	98	61	61	72	72	dnf	98	dns	98	427	81
AUS 857	QLD	OCS	98	dnf	98	40	40	dnf	98	dns	98	432	82
AUS 63	QLD	dnf	98	65	65	73	73	dnf	98	dns	98	432	83
ITA	ITA	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
ITA	ITA	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
ITA	ITA	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
AUS 916	VIC	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
AUS 827	QLD	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
AUS 828	QLD	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
KA 524	NSW	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
BRA3	BRA	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
BRA16	BRA	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
BRA 2	BRA	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
AUS 822	NSW	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
GER?	GER	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
AUS 321	NSW	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84
NED 8	NED	dnf	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	dns	98	490	84