Hamilton wins Australian Contender Championships

by Sebastien Destremau on 7 Jan 2006 With a temperature soaring to 37 plus degrees, the legendary Fremantle Doctor stayed in bed yesterday for the third day of the Australian Contender Championships conducted by Fremantle Sailing Club in Western Australia.

The 61 competitors representing nine nations battled all day in light and very tricky wind conditions. They had to start at the pin end of the start line and bang the left corner of the race track as a big lift was waiting for them on the port lay line to carry them all the way to the windward mark.

The second race of the day was disappointing when the race committee decided to shortened it after only 36 minutes of racing. As it often happens, as soon as Race Control shortened the race the conditions improved to reach a nice southerly wind of 10+ knots, leaving some frustrated sailors to go back to the shore early.

'I don't see any reason for that decision as with only 15 more minutes we would have done the extra lap,' commented multiple World Champion from Italy Andrea Bonezzi. The Italian Champion had some valid reasons to be disappointed yesterday after a terrible day on the water. He was disqualified in the first race for starting a second too early in the first race (OCS) followed by a 19th position in the second race after choosing the wrong side of the course minutes after the start.

One sailor that did enjoy the day was without a doubt Australian Marcus Hamilton from Sandringham Yacht Club in Victoria. Marcus skippering 'Siggy Piggy Dish Pig' did an outstanding job throughout the championships and by winning both races of the day, ended up with an impressive score card of 1, 2, 4, 2, 1, 1 at the end of day 3. With a maximum total of 11 points, he cannot be beaten by anyone and has decided to stay ashore today to enjoy Fremantle’s hospitality and to leave the batte for the two remaining spots on the podium to his opponents. Well done Marcus!

Danish skipper Soren Andreasen, lying second at the moment, was also all smiles as he knows that he has already secured a place on the podium. He will just have to be careful of Briton Tim Holden who is the only one that can beat him for the second place.

After that it is wide open as there is a least half a dozen skippers who are in the position to secure the third spot on the podium.

Leading results after 6 races:
1 -AUS 2323 Marcus Hamilton- 7pts 1-2-(4)-2-1-1
2 -DEN 44 Soren Andreasen- 17pts 3-4,-(7)-2-3
3 -GBR 2318 Tim Holden- 20pts 6-5-2-3-4-(DNC)
4 -ITA 11 Andrea Bonezzi- 24pts 2-1-1-1-(OCS)-19
5 -AUS 2281 Tim Hill- 27pts 4-9-(9) 5-5-4
6 -GBR 709 Simon Mussell- 29pts 5-3-6-6-( 28)-9
7 -AUS 2296 Matt Hosie- 41pts 9-(18)-3-4-12-13
8 -GBR 2315 Ben Holden- 51pts 7-8-(17)-16-14-6
9 -GER 551 Christoph Homeier- 53pts 8-12-7-(DNF)-21-5
10 -AUS 2237 John Cassidy- 56pts 11-6-19-12-(31)-8