Lissiman ‘black flagged’ at Musto Etchells title
by Ian Grant on 6 Jun 2008
2008 Musto Etchells Winters, day one, tactical and trying Peter Duncan
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West Australian Michael ‘Skip’ Lissiman will need to complete a miracle comeback to successfully defend his Musto Australian Championship trophy following his black flag disqualification in the opening heat off Mooloolaba earlier today.
Lissiman who has the distinction of winning the America's Cup with the John Bertrand skippered Australia 11, was positioned in the front line as the highly competitive 54 boat fleet jostled for the favoured clear wind advantage.
Unfortunately his timing was a split second to early leaving officials to enforce the disqualification rule leaving the defending champion to add a maxium 55 points to his championship score card.
Sure skipper Lissiman and his Band Wagon crew have the experience to fight back but it will require a super human performance for the West Australian’s to win this series.
Particularly when a number of high quality crews mastered a testing day of racing in a light variable seabreeze to dominate the top ten places.
Victorian skipper Graeme Taylor responding to the tactical skill and experience of Grant Wharington and Queensland’s Simon Gorman expressed their light wind sailing technique to score a barrier to box win with Magpie.
They capitalised on a clear wind start to dictate the trend of the race when spinnakers were set for the first downwind run however they needed to apply a safe cover over their New South Wales rival Jervis Tilley (Bushfire) and local Sunshine Coast skipper Mike O’Brien (Racer X).
All three crews had to continually readdress their tactical strategy as the breeze veered on an irregular pattern.
However the Magpie crew continued to apply their tight tactical strategy to score a clever win which suggests they will be a front line contender when the championship continues with another two heats of Mooloolaba Beach tomorrow (Saturday).
Results 2008 Musto Australian Etchells Winter C’ship Ht 1: Top Ten
Graeme Taylor/ Grant Wharington/Simon Gorman Vic 1,
Jervis Tilly/James Arnold/ Nigel Nattrass, NSW 2,
Mike O’Brien/Brian Hillier/Scott Millar, Qld 3,
David Clark/Sean Leonard/Andrew Smith, NSW 4,
Cameron Miles/ Phil Smidmore/ David Sampson NSW, 5,
Mark Bulka/James Ryssenbeek/ Steve Young Vic, 6,
John Bertrand/Adam Beashel, Ernie Lawrence, Vic 7,
David Rose/David Irvine/Alan Moffat, Qld 8,
Chris Pratt/Cailin Howard/ Simon Estella, SA 9,
Krwan Robb/ James Thomson/Breeahn McCraken/ Rodney Muller, Vic 10.
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