Abel versus Hodgson in the final of Australian Schools Match Racing
by Peter Campbell on 24 Apr 2016
Finalist Sam Abel receiving award at The Hutchins School, Hobart, last year Peter Campbell
The final of the Australian Schools Match Racing Championship will be decided on the River Derwent tomorrow afternoon between Tasmania's Sam Abel (Hutchins, TAS) and Queenslander James Hodgson (Matthew Flinders College, QLD).
Abel today won his semi-final against John Cooley (Scots College, NSW) 2-0 while Hodgson eliminated Sam King (Hutchins, TAS) 2-0 after a long day on the water.
Race officer Stephen Shield completed the round robins for the Gold and Silver fleets then, as the 15-16 knot morning northerly eased, continued on in a fading breezes to run the semi-finals.
James Hodgson, from Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and an experienced youth match racing sailor, came through with four wins out of five matches, his only loss being the Tasmanian Sam King (Hutchins) who finished.
Hodgson last year was runner-up in the Australian Youth Match Racing Championship on his home waters off Mooloolba.
Abel last year won the world championship in the International Cadet Dinghies in Italy, and two weekends ago won the Tasmanian title. However, he is relatively inexperienced in match racing.
King did well, winning three matches in the Gold fleet today to qualify for the semi-finals, along with Hodgson, Abel and Cooley.
However, he lost his semi-final match to Hodgson 2-0 while fellow Hutchins School student Abel beat Cooley, also 2-0.
In the Silver fleet, Hugo Stoner (Scots College, NSW) won all four races while Hugo Hamilton (Friends, TAS) had three wins, Will Sargent (Friends, TAS) two wins and Elizabeth Hodgman (Canberra Girls Grammar, ACT) had one win. Lily Zeeman (Fahan, TAS) fought hard, but could not win a race.
The final of this inaugural Australian Schools Match Racing Championship will get under way between Sam Abel and James Hodgson shortly after midday tomorrow.
Gold Fleet
| Skippers |
Abel |
Cooley |
Hodgson |
King |
Price |
Wallis |
Points |
RR1 |
TOTAL |
Place |
| Abel |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
3 |
| Cooley |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
2 |
| Hodgson |
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
1 |
| King |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
4 |
| Price |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
2 |
6 |
8 |
6 |
| Wallis |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
6 |
8 |
5 |
Silver Fleet
| Skippers |
Hamilton |
Hodgman |
Sargent |
Stoner |
Zeeman |
Points |
RR1 |
TOTAL |
Place |
| Hamilton |
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
| Hodgman |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
| Sargent |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
8 |
| Stoner |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
7 |
| Zeeman |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
| Races |
|
|
|
|
|
25 |
|
|
|
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