Queensland Match Racing Championship 2014 - Patches and puffs on Day 1

by Tracey Johnstone on 22 Jun 2014 Mooloolaba’s river race course delivered its usual challenges in the soft northerly breeze which tested the five teams contesting the Sail Mooloolaba Queensland Match Racing Championship.

The two local teams – Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club and Mooloolaba Yacht Club – used their local knowledge to good advantage to manage the breeze as it bended and twisted off the buildings along both sides of the river. The visiting teams – Sandringham Yacht Club, Royal Queensland Yacht Club and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club – all struggled in the fickle conditions.

Chief Umpire John Middleton did a brilliant job to keep the racing moving as the crews eked out as much boat speed as possible in the patchy wind that surprised several teams with its sudden strength followed by glassy patches.

At the end of Round Robin one all teams were on equal points.

Although he has not match raced since September last year, the most confident skipper on the course was defending Queensland Open champion, Noosa’s Klade Hauschildt. 'The conditions are similar to last year’s championship. It’s easier for me as I more familiar with the wind and how it goes around the yacht club building. When you get these conditions you also get the big left handers that come around the corner. We actually got caught out with a left hander in the first race we lost. It became a reach to the top mark and a reach back. We were on the wrong side of that one.

'I am still pretty happy that we have slotted back into it, but we are still a bit rusty,' Hauschildt said.

As Round Robin two was being set up the breeze more to the right which forced the race committee to move the top mark closer to The Wharf shoreline.

By the completion of the second round robin Hauschildt and his Noosa Yacht and Rowing team are leading the pointscore. Behind by one point are three teams – James Hodgson’s Mooloolaba Yacht Club, Charlie Wyatt’s Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron sponsored by Envy Scooters and Will Dargaville’s Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. In fifth place is Tom Trotman’s team from Sandringham Yacht Club.

Racing continues tomorrow with the south-westerly forecast to build to 10 knots.

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