SB3's Local knowledge doesn’t always win races, but it helps!
by Tom Rosoman on 9 Feb 2009
SB3 start line - Skandia Geelong Week 2009 Andrea Francolini / Skandia
Winning a one design sports boat regatta requires team work, smart tactics and consistency in your results and event favorite Brendan Garner was hoping to do all the above to go one better than his second place from last years Nationals. Since last years event the SB3 crews from around Australia have gained knowledge and the all important time in the boat, so the stage was set for close racing where every second counts.
Day One: The SB3 Nationals Begin
Race One: Wind State: Sub 10 knots
What can you say about Race One of the Australian SB3 Nationals other than that local boy and event favorite Brendan Garner showed the fleet he meant business! He secured the win and physiological advantage closely followed by Stephen Mackay (Newcastle Yachting) and the all womens Audi Sunshine Girls crew, helmed by Lauren Calder.
Race Two: Wind State: Sub 10 knots – Local knowledge 15 minutes too early!
If the second race had started 15 minutes later in the day it is highly likely that Garner would have had the perfect scorecard from day one. Unfortunately for him it didn’t and what happened in the final downwind leg dramatically changed the finishing results. Winning skipper from Race Two Tom Rosoman tells the story:
'Brendan had control and despite our best efforts it looked as if he had it in the bag! As we approached the last rounding of the windward mark I heard Brendan’s crew say gybe, go left! Luckily for us I was oblivious to his local knowledge about the sea breeze, as if I had known I would have gybed.
Downwind my crew was feeding me information on both Garner and Howson (who was on our tail) and when Mal my crew said Brendan had parked in no wind I couldn’t believe my luck! All we had to do now was keep Murray behind use. We crossed the line and I looked up to see exactly why Brendan had gone left, the sea breeze was coming, luckily for us 15 minutes later than Brendan predicted! But that’s sailing for you.
Day Two: Hokey Cokey Sailing – In, out, in out, shack it all about! Wind State: 25+ knots
What a difference a day makes! 25 knots + and the day was setting up to be a challenge for both crews and race officers. The fleet went out and it was clearly on the upper limits for racing and after a few mishaps elsewhere in Geelong the fleet was sent back in again to wait for conditions to moderate.
The fleet only had 20 minutes onshore before they were sent out again. This was just about enough time to allow the crews to recover, discuss boat handling improvements and gain much needed extra energy. Once the racing did get underway it was clear that once again Brendan was going to be hard to beat.
The day ended with Garner getting another three bullets putting Home Team well out in front for the Championship win. Oceanburo ended the day in second place overall with a consistent series of results, followed by the impressive Audi Girls.
Other impressive performers in the breeze were Mike Mclean in Wagop and Tim Harrison in Jiminy Cricket.
Day Three: The rich get richer and the poor just suffer! Wind State: sub 15 knots
Team Laserperformance put their disappointments from day 2 behind them to secure a 1, 2, 1 set of results for the day to leap frog up into second overall by the end of the day. The day will be remembered for shifty, patchy winds which saw the rich get richer and the poor get poorer in the results table. On returning to the shore Rosoman commented on his sailing 'The jury boat shouted at me before the start that I should be good in these conditions from all the gravel pit sailing I did in the UK when I was growing up and it appears he was right!'
The other sailors that benefitted from the fickle conditions were Oceanburo skipper Kai Timm renowned for his tactical ability and his consistency, Murray Howson and the Audi girls. Surprisingly local legend Home Team didn’t go so well posting their worse race of the series, a six!
Day Four: Silverware up for grabs – Gold in the pocket for Home Team Wind State: sub 10 knots
Garner looked safe in first place, but the battle for the next four spots was hot. The final race of the series (or so we thought) started in light winds and Oceanburo skipper Kia Timm was out in front, this didn’t look good for either Laserperformance or the Audi Girls who found themselves well down in the pack.
By the first leeward mark Oceanburo had maintained their lead, but could see a late charge coming from the Laserperformance crew who had sneaked up into fourth place, a position that would have ensured them second overall.
The Audi Girls however were still back in the fleet having returned from being premature starters, unfortunately or fortunately (depending on whose boat you sat in) the race got abandoned due to a mark laying issue.
Take Two:
It was again Oceanburo out in front going on to win the race, followed home by Jiminy Cricket, Murray Howson, Laserperformance and Home Team.
SB3 Australian Championships
Final Results -Top 10
Series Results [Elapsed Time] up to Race 9 (Drops = 1)
| Place |
Ties |
Sail No |
Boat Name |
Skipper |
From |
Sers Score |
Race 9 |
Race 8 |
Race 7 |
Race 6 |
Race 5 |
Race 4 |
Race 3 |
Race 2 |
Race 1 |
| 1 |
|
3384 |
HOME TEAM |
Brendan Garner |
RGYC |
17.00 |
5.00 |
4.00 |
1.00 |
[6.00] |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
3.00 |
1.00 |
| 2 |
1.0S |
GBR3393 |
TBA |
Tom Rosoman |
MSC |
25.00 |
4.00 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
3.00 |
[10.00] |
5.00 |
1.00 |
8.00 |
| 3 |
|
AUS3383 |
OCEANBURO |
Kai Timm |
MDSC/NYRC |
25.00 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
5.00 |
[8.00] |
2.00 |
3.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
| 4 |
|
AUS3386 |
TBA |
Murray Howson |
PRSC |
35.00 |
3.00 |
6.00 |
3.00 |
[10.00] |
5.00 |
2.00 |
7.00 |
2.00 |
7.00 |
| 5 |
|
GBR3356 |
JIMINY CRICKET |
Tim Mike Harrison |
ISC |
37.00 |
2.00 |
7.00 |
6.00 |
2.00 |
4.00 |
7.00 |
2.00 |
7.00 |
[12.00O] |
| 6 |
|
AUS3380 |
AUDI SUNSHINE GIRLS |
Lauren Calder |
MDSC |
38.00 |
[11.00] |
3.00 |
4.00 |
3.00 |
9.00 |
5.00 |
6.00 |
5.00 |
3.00 |
| 7 |
|
AUS3381 |
WAGOP |
Michael McLean |
SYC |
51.00 |
6.00 |
5.00 |
7.00 |
9.00 |
8.00 |
4.00 |
3.00 |
9.00 |
[12.00O] |
| 8 |
|
3352 |
DART VADER |
Mark Prince |
NCYC |
58.00 |
7.00 |
9.00 |
9.00 |
7.00 |
7.00 |
6.00 |
[10.00] |
8.00 |
5.00 |
| 9 |
2.0S |
3358 |
NEWCASTLE YACHTING |
Stephen Mackay |
NCYC |
63.00 |
9.00 |
12.00C |
8.00 |
4.00 |
6.00 |
12.00Q |
[12.00C] |
10.00 |
2.00 |
| 10 |
|
3354 |
WHISTLING KITE |
Greg James |
MYC |
63.00 |
8.00 |
10.00 |
[11.00] |
5.00 |
10.00 |
9.00 |
9.00 |
6.00 |
6.00 |
| 11 |
|
AUS3390 |
CLAAKA |
Graham Eaton |
SYC |
77.00 |
10.00 |
8.00 |
10.00 |
11.00 |
11.00 |
8.00 |
8.00 |
11.00 |
[12.00S] |
The SB3 race circuit now moves onto the Audi Sydney Regatta in March. To find out more about the SB3 please visit:
www.dartsailboats.com or www.oceanburo.com.au
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/53777
