Team Gilmour bounces back

by Team Gilmour on 18 Dec 2013 After our terrible result at our final event of the year, the entire team has been busy sailing separately and have bounced back posting some terrific results coming from Thailand and Melbourne as well as practicing for the Sydney to Coffs Harbour race.

From the Monsoon Cup Luke and Pete departed directly to Phuket, Thailand to sail with Peter Ahern, Scott Bailey and Fergus Wilmer in the Kings Cup on their TP 52 'Oi' after a great weeks sailing they were able to finish a credible second in IRC Division 0 in a tough fleet of boats.

Dave, like Luke and Peter was also straight out of Terengganu, but instead rushing to get down to Sail Melbourne the second event of the ISAF World Cup sailing series to race in the 49er class with his crew Sam Phillips. The grade 1 event had a hot lineup including current Olympic gold medalists Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen as well as GBR Olympic representative Stevie Morrison. Throughout the week all the teams were tested in a huge range of conditions from five to 30 knots. After some incredibly close racing and a dramatic medal race Dave and Sam we extremely happy to finish second with Nathan and Iain convincingly winning and Will Phillips and Rhys Mara rounding out in the podium in third.

Following Sail Melbourne the Australian 49er squad spent the next week training in Sorrento ahead of the Victorian 49er State Championships the following weekend and again this event proved just as competitive as Sail Melbourne as all the same teams headed down for this next event. Over the weekend there were some very shifty and unpredictable conditions. Dave and Sam sailed a very consistent regatta to win the event with Nathan and Iain in second and Stevie Morrison and Chris Grube in third.

With these two regattas completed this is not the end of the summer racing with the nationals to be held after Christmas again in Melbourne.

Will has also been busy since Malaysia training and preparing a DK 46 called 'Nine Dragones' he is trimming on in Sydney and will be departing for Coffs Harbour on the second of January.

Pete and Luke have spent the last week and a half preparing for the Australian Sharpie Nationals to be held at Mounts Bay Sailing Club in Perth. They will be jumping on board with Sharpie expert Peter Chappell, and have been working tirelessly to get the old 'Lizard' WA788 ready for the Championships to be held in the New Year. There looks to be a pretty good line up with up with possible 45 boats starting.

As 2013 comes to and end Team Gilmour would like to thank all the support we have received over the year from everyone, we have really appreciated everyone’s cheers and it has motivated us all year as we were racing. With 2014 coming up we hope to continue our climb to the top of the world rankings and will again be starting the year off in home waters defending out title at The Warren Jones Youth Regatta. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.