Musto Etchells Australian Winter Championship Race 3
by Rob Kothe on 6 Jun 2009
Race 3 start line - Musto Etchells Australian Winter Championship 2009 Sail-World.com /AUS
http://www.sail-world.com
Yesterday when Mark Johnson (Roulette) came off the water having sailed into second place in the Musto Etchells Australian Winter Championship 2009, he said ‘the way we got around the course today, if we’d had more breeze, we might have killed someone, so we will be happy to see light conditions again tomorrow’.
Today in light conditions with seven knots of breeze, Johnson was second boat at the top mark. Damien King (Barry) was 17th and series leader New Zealand's Alastair Gair (Velsheda) was heading back to the dock.
Gair and another 12 boats were black flagged at the start of Race 3 of the series, sponsored by The Wharf.
Attempt one to get Race 3 underway was aborted when the breeze shifted twenty degrees from 040 to 060, just fifteen seconds before the start. Attempt two resulted in a General Recall of the fleet.
Attempt three started under Black Flag and thirteen ‘toey’ crews paid the penalty, their afternoon’s sailing ending prematurely.
At the top mark, Mooloolaba sailor Peter Hollis (Heaven Can Wait) rounded in first place. Johnson rounded second.
Another Mooloolaba local, Charles Piggott (Magic) was third, then came Rapscallion, B Squared, Funky Cold Medina and Fifteen.
As the fleet rounded the bottom mark, the wind speed was holding at seven knots from 060.
Heaven Can Wait extended its lead over Roulette. Johnson’s crew was a picture of concentration as they managed a conservative, but clean mark rounding. Blairgowrie sailor David Lawrence (Temptress) had a sensational run picking up a nice shift, and moved up from 16th place to third.
Fourth was Funky Cold Medina; then B Squared, Rapscallion, Tango and Fifteen. Mark Bulka (Critical Balance) was tenth, Steve O’Rourke (Panther) was 12th and Damien King 15th.
At the top mark for the last time, the course boat signalled a ten-degree wind shift to the left and the repositioning of the finishing boat.
Peter Hollis extended his lead from Mark Johnson. Chris Hampton (Tango) had moved from seventh to third on the second beat, David Clark (Fifteen) had moved from eighth to fourth. Vaughan Prentice was now fifth, with Mark Bulka eighth and Damien King 13th.
But it was all Hollis. In six knots of breeze he looked unlikely to lose the rig in his boat, or the race for that matter.
Hollis (Heaven Can Wait) extended and held his lead to the finish line, crossing ahead of Mark Johnson (Roulette).
Sydney sailor Jervis Tilley (Bushfire) stormed down the run moving up from sixth to cross the line in third, followed by Vaughan Prentice (Funky Cold Medina) and David Clark (Fifteen). Damien King (Barry) moved up several places to finish the race in 11th.
Provisionally, Mark Johnson (Roulette) is now the clear leader of the series with finishes of 5,3,2.
Second is David Clarke (3,6,5) with Damien King (7,2,11) in third. On equal points with King is Vaughan Prentice.
[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]Dockside Mark Johnson was smiling. 'We came into the regatta with no expectations. We'd all moved back on the boat. Nik Burfoot had moved back from bow and Christian was coming in new, having never worked a US boat set up. I had not helmed for 15 months, having campaigned midboat with Jud Smith to win the North Americans. We finished fifth at the 2009 Worlds.
'We started conservatively, which was good today ... started about two thirds of the way down the line ... worked the middle of the course up the first leg. We had speed and we did not have anyone dump on us at all. Then we did a much better job today of getting down the runs.
'Peter Hollis and Bucky Smith did a great job and deserved to win, but we were very happy to take second. It was a great day, but there is a lot more racing to go in this regatta and we could be the ones getting a black flag tomorrow.
Damien King, looked relieved when he came ashore. 'We were lucky to escape with an 12th today. A boat that was later black flagged came in very fast on us at the start ... well over the line, buried us and then camped on us for ages, before withdrawing from the race.
'So we were not much better than midfleet at the first mark and had to work our way forward.
'Now we are half way through the regatta, so we will see how it goes tomorrow. We are just happy to be in the running.'
Equal on points with King and his crew is Vaughan Prentice. 'Light airs sailing. Definitely hard work, but better than tricky winter westerlies. Our best-ever result here was second in 2006, so we are pleased to be in the top group with probably two more races to sail.
'Nick Behrens is doing a great job on tactics for us. We have good speed with some really good light weather sails.
'Tomorrow will be a big day.'
And he is right. The first race is scheduled for 10am. There are a variety of forecasts from 20 knot north westerlies to 10 knot south easterlies, but with some light drizzle already, the second of those predictions seems more likely.
Mooloolaba Etchells Fleet
Musto Etchells Australian Winter Championship 2009
4th - 7th June
Series Summary (provisional)
Pl |
B# |
Crew |
From |
Boat Name |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Tot |
1 |
49 |
M. Johnson, N. Burfoot & C. Allen |
Sydney |
Roulette |
5 |
3 |
2 |
10 |
2 |
15 |
D. Clark, S. Leonard & A. Smith |
Sydney |
Fifteen |
3 |
6 |
5 |
14 |
3 |
11 |
D. King, J. Ware, S. Cunnington & A. Butler |
Melbourne |
Barry |
7 |
2 |
12 |
21 |
4 |
32 |
V. Prentice, D. Hutchison, N. Brehrens & P. Manning |
Brisbane |
Funky Cold Medina |
13 |
4 |
4 |
21 |
5 |
44 |
M. Bulka, S. Young & P. Bulka |
Melbourne |
Critical Balance |
9 |
13 |
10 |
32 |
6 |
43 |
J. Sheehan, R. West & R. Vidgen |
Pittwater |
Resurgent |
15 |
7 |
14 |
36 |
7 |
47 |
J. Tilly, P. Davidson & J. Arnold |
Sydney |
Bushfire |
27 |
9 |
3 |
39 |
8 |
37 |
P. Gardner, S. Barlow & R. Allanson |
Sydney |
Humpback |
19 |
8 |
16 |
43 |
9 |
41 |
N. Nattrass, C. Brook & A. Elliott |
Sydney |
Two Speed |
10 |
22 |
11 |
43 |
10 |
39 |
D. Rose, S. Backhouse & T. Rose |
Brisbane |
Fair Bump Play On |
23 |
11 |
15 |
49 |
11 |
19 |
C. Hampton, B. Morrison-Jack & M. Toner-Joyce |
Melbourne |
Tango |
4 |
40 |
7 |
51 |
12 |
46 |
P. Hollis, B. Smith & J. Warlow |
Mooloolaba |
Heaven Can Wait |
8 |
44 |
1 |
53 |
13 |
34 |
T. Woods, P. McNeill & D. Gleadhill |
Lake Macquarie |
Echo Beach |
17 |
14 |
25 |
56 |
14 |
28 |
S. Gunther, J. Collingwood & B. Jones |
Melbourne |
Magic Buzz |
20 |
16 |
20 |
56 |
15 |
22 |
R. Lloyd, M. Turner & P. Dowdney |
Melbourne |
The Nurse |
18 |
21 |
17 |
56 |
16 |
30 |
A. Gair, D. Ridley, D. Scott & A. De Fluiter |
Gulf Harbour |
Velsheda |
2 |
1 |
55\BFD |
58 |
17 |
16 |
D. Lawrance, R. Browne & B. Hawkes |
Blairgowrie |
Temptress |
16 |
33 |
9 |
58 |
18 |
09 |
S. Ellis, J. Dudok Van Heel & J. Brinkley |
Hong Kong |
Tian Hua |
26 |
5 |
29 |
60 |
19 |
02 |
G. Boyd, J. Boyd & A. May |
Lake Macquarie |
B Squared |
30 |
27 |
6 |
63 |
20 |
20 |
J. Muysken, P. Grundy & A. O'Connell |
Sydney |
Etch |
25 |
12 |
28 |
65 |
21 |
33 |
N. Paterson, S. Board & J. Chilman |
Brisbane |
Waterloo Bay |
39 |
10 |
23 |
72 |
22 |
05 |
D. Healey, A. Deeks & G. Van Luteren |
Brisbane |
Rapscallion |
44 |
18 |
13 |
75 |
23 |
54 |
M. Bradford, P. Merrington & G. Torpy |
Brisbane |
Roni |
12 |
15 |
55\BFD |
82 |
24 |
52 |
C. Williams, P. Heyes & N. DeBerque |
Gosford |
Trekka |
14 |
47 |
21 |
82 |
25 |
53 |
S. O'Rourke, S. Backhouse & J. Torpy |
Cronulla |
Panther |
37 |
39 |
8 |
84 |
26 |
17 |
I. Audsley, G. Flatman & J. VanDer Schalk |
Pittwater |
Kalika |
28 |
25 |
33 |
86 |
27 |
40 |
L. Kennedy, R. Bassett & T. Swinburne |
Gulf Harbour |
Addiction |
31 |
38 |
19 |
88 |
28 |
14 |
M. Sanders, J. Sill & S. McInally |
Southport |
Just Relax |
34 |
20 |
34 |
88 |
29 |
38 |
M. McCann, N. Wittey, S. Quigley & JC Strong |
Sydney |
Carabella lV |
11 |
24 |
55\BFD |
90 |
30 |
04 |
D. Williams, D. Cooney & A. Kiely |
Lake Macquarie |
Vertigo |
38 |
28 |
24 |
90 |
31 |
50 |
D. Wilson, R. Leslie & J. Browne |
Gosford |
The Don |
33 |
30 |
27 |
90 |
32 |
23 |
M. Dagge, M. Hansen & J. Willis |
Brisbane |
Una Mas |
1 |
37 |
55\BFD |
93 |
33 |
35 |
G. Taylor, G. Wharington & S. Jarvin |
Mornington |
Magpie |
6 |
32 |
55\BFD |
93 |
34 |
26 |
M. Thornburrow, G. Farrell, M. Chew & A. Service |
Hong Kong |
Dreamon |
24 |
19 |
55\BFD |
98 |
35 |
13 |
G. Smith, B. Shoebridge & R. Smith |
Swan River |
Tusk |
46 |
26 |
26 |
98 |
36 |
03 |
P. Coleman, W. Dixon & I. Gartley |
Melbourne |
Mid Gybe Crisis |
35 |
29 |
35 |
99 |
37 |
48 |
D. Biggar & M. Obrian |
Mooloolaba |
Fruit Cake |
42 |
42 |
18 |
102 |
38 |
10 |
R. Coxon, D. Ritchard & I. Winter |
Sydney |
3 Gone Missing |
32 |
41 |
32 |
105 |
39 |
55 |
G. Forgan-Smith, G. Wakefield & B. Foot |
Gold Coast |
Betelgeuse |
53 |
17 |
36 |
106 |
40 |
21 |
N. Knezic, D. Bretherton & M. Robertson |
Melbourne |
Count Boris' Secret |
29 |
23 |
55\BFD |
107 |
41 |
12 |
B. Sheridan & B. Moore |
Swan River |
Butterfly |
21 |
34 |
55\BFD |
110 |
42 |
24 |
P. Minter, J. Minter & R. Bull |
Sydney |
Crews Control |
50 |
35 |
30 |
115 |
43 |
29 |
L. O'Connor, B. Averay & L. Steers |
Melbourne |
J for Jig |
41 |
43 |
31 |
115 |
44 |
42 |
J. Denton, L. Birch & P. Bailey |
Gosford |
Ivy |
43 |
36 |
37 |
116 |
45 |
31 |
C. Piggott, W. Myles & G. Black |
Mooloolaba |
Magic |
47 |
49 |
22 |
118 |
46 |
27 |
D. Hardy, B. Northcote & J. Northcote |
Sydney |
Foolhardy |
36 |
31 |
55\BFD |
122 |
47 |
18 |
J. Plante, M. Dunstan, N. Garland & x. y |
Pittwater |
North Star |
22 |
48 |
55\BFD |
125 |
48 |
45 |
P. Meehan, J. Hallam & B. Sneddon |
Brisbane |
Forceful |
49 |
46 |
40 |
135 |
49 |
25 |
A. Telford, S. Schafer & G. Smith |
Melbourne |
Never Enough |
51 |
52 |
39 |
142 |
50 |
36 |
J. McLean, S. McClure, R. Caldwell & J. McLean |
Brisbane |
Touch N Go |
52 |
55\DNF |
38 |
145 |
51 |
51 |
N. Hudson, J. Curry & M. Jamison |
Gold Coast |
Trilogy |
54 |
50 |
41 |
145 |
52 |
07 |
J. Ward, D. McCaughey & M. Roberts |
Adelaide |
Concubine |
45 |
45 |
55\BFD |
145 |
53 |
08 |
T. Martin, G. Thomson & P. Braithwaite |
Mooloolaba |
Three Ring Circus |
40 |
51 |
55\BFD |
146 |
54 |
01 |
J. Middleton, N. Willis & T. Robba |
Brisbane. |
OZI |
48 |
55\DNF |
55\BFD |
158 |
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/57567