Cherub Nationals - Son of Wally's seasoned crew takes crown
by Jesse de Rooy on 12 Jan 2013
National Champions Trevor Fay and Nigel Blatchford - 50th Cherub National Championships Fiona Lunsmann
The Australian Cherub National Championships 2013 featured young and veteran sailors going at one another for the right to capture the crown. At the end, it was the experience and sailing savvy of Trevor Fay and Nigel Blatchfold aboard the 'Son of Wally' that catapulted them to victory.
'Son of Wally' sailed by Trevor Fay and Nigel Blatchford takes first place at Belmont 16foot sailing club in action packed series. The two experienced cherub sailors held off returning champions Andrew and Will Chapman.
The championships started off with moderate winds with locals Trevor fay and Nigel Blatchford developing a small lead over Kris fay and Morgan Frew after day two. Day three brought stronger winds, returning Cherub sailors Andrew and Will Chapman sailed two strong races with two seconds sending them into first place just ahead of Fay and Blatchford with Alison Chapman and Kurt Warner in third.
After the traditional new years day rest day there was another two short races scheduled, with 15-18knots of breeze Alison Chapman and Kurt Warner sailed two strong races putting in a fourth and a first to send them only two points behind series leaders Fay and Blatchford, With the Chapman brothers pushed back into third place.
Race seven brought a change with much lighter winds, again the Chapman brothers showed the rest of the fleet how to do it getting another bullet pushing there sister Alison Chapman and Kurt Warner back into third, with front runners still locals Fay and Blatchford.
On the second to last day of racing there was a forecast of some heavy wind and the forecast seemed correct, the race was started in 18-20knots and from there the wind kept building, less then half the boats finished the race. Heavy wind specialist 'Hui' sailed by Ayden Menzies and Lachlan Hornby showed that there the boat to beat in heavy wind sailing away to finish well clear of second place 'Causing Haavik' sailed by Brett Lancaster and Ryan Lancaster.
On the last day of racing the breeze moderated slightly with 14-18knots of breeze great weather to finish off the regatta. Chapman brothers sailed a faultless race to take the bullet all they needed was for locals Fay and Blatchford to finished fourth or worse, but it wasn't to be with now National Champions finishing in close second to finishes first overall and with Chapman brothers in second. In third was Alison Chapman and Kurt Warner followed by Wally boys Kris Fay and Morgan Frew and Lancaster boys Brett and Ryan rounding out the top five.
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/105526
