McNeil on last run towards Etchells World’s title 2004

by Rob Kothe on 7 Aug 2004 McNeil on last run towards Etchells World’s title 2004

Australian Peter McNeil is on his way to victory. Third on the water in the eighth and final race in the 2004 Etchells World’s has had a dream race this afternoon.

Under sunny Sunshine Coast skies and with breezes hardly more than six knots there has been no pressure for the Lake Macquarie crew of Tom Pepper XVIII

Hong Kong’s Mark Thornborrow is 90 seconds ahead of Noel ‘Nitro’ Drennan but the series leader and about to be World Champion Peter McNeil is only a boat length behind him.

Kiwi Cameron Appleton has sailed a good race and Julian Plante now in ninth place will have third place overall in the Championship, unless Dennis Conner can unknit the costly red flag decision.

Cameron Miles, disastrously buried at the start, has climbed back as a Champion does from 39th to around 19th, but the race is probably four laps short for him to mount any challenge.

Sail-World will have interviews dockside over the next few hours.