Etchells Worlds - Victorian crews top leaderboard after tricky Day 1

by Sail-World.com on 5 Sep 2016 The opening day of the 2016 Etchells World Championship got underway after postponement for the wind to settle in. Racing eventually got underway in a 9-13kt SW breeze, with two intensely competitive races sailed in the central Solent, off the Isle of Wight on the English coast.

Teams from five different nations occupy the top ten places, however two teams from the Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Victoria Australia, finished the day at the top of the leaderboard. A total of 58 crews from 11 countries are competing in the week-long regatta.

John Bertrand (AUS) topped the leaderboard after the first day of racing, with his crew of Paul Blowers and Ben Lamb, representing Melbourne's Royal Brighton Yacht Club. Bertrand sails with bow number 83 - a possible reference to his historic win in the 1983 America's Cup as skipper of the immortal Australia II.

After two races, Bertrand leads by three points from Hampton. Steve Benjamin's team, from the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (USA), is in third, behind the Australians. Peter Duncan, American Yacht Club (USA), is in fourth on countback from Andy Beadsworth, Warsash SC (GBR). Noel 'Nitro' Drennan, representing the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is just a point behind in sixth.

It took four attempts to get the fleet away for Race 1 and the U-Flag start produced several casualties, including reigning Etchells World Champions, Skip Dieball, Jon McClean and Jeff Eiber North Cape YC (USA). “Yes, we will be back out fighting tomorrow, we have got our discard out of the way on the first race.” commented Jon McClean.

Race 1 was won by Chris Hampton racing with Sam Haines and Mark Andrews Royal Brighton Yacht Club (AUS). The chat in the beer tent afterwards suggested that Hampton's team, sailed extremely well today. Ante Razmilovic racing with Chris Larson and Stuart Flinn, representing the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (ITA), won Race 2.

Several top crews picked up what they hope will be their discard score, in the first race of the day. This group included current European Champion, Andrew Wills (NZL). Lawrie Smith (GBR), Olympic medallist in the Soling class, the former Olympic three man keelboat finished 40th in the 58 boat fleet - having sat out last week's European Championship sailed at the same venue.

“Consistency is the key and we could not have done better than that today.” commented John Bertrand. “Between being a hero or a loser is the thickness of a sheet of paper. In Race 1, we rounded the top mark in 30th and it was all about chipping away and eventually finishing fourth. This regatta is about holding it together and seeing the forest from the trees, placing the boat in the best place for the wind and the tide, and dealing with all the boats around you. To win this regatta, you have to be able to come back from the dead – everybody will find themselves in that position during the week.”

In the Corinthian Class, Thomas Brennan's team of Ian Dobson, Sam Maxfield and Honor Fell, representing the Royal Thames Yacht Club (GBR), scored an impressive fourth in the second race, to lead the 18 teams racing on countback. Martin Webster team of Annabel Vose, Peter Nicholas and Chris Smith from the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, Perth (AUS) is in second. Webster's result was impressive, after recovering Annabel Vose from an unscheduled swim!

James Badenach's team of Christian Thompson, Elliot Hanson and Martin Wrigley, from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, finished the day in third.

Two Corinthian fleet skippers, Bill Steele from Perth (AUS) and Tim Patton (BER), have sailed in a combined total of 52 Etchells Worlds. Both fly a distinctive wine glass on their spinnaker, signifying a gentleman's bet. Bill Steele's cup was definitely half full today, finishing the day in fifth position in the Corinthian Class, ahead of Tim Patton. Today's Prize Giving was sponsored by Spinlock and wine merchants Justerini & Brooks, who had a special prize for Bill Steele

“This is my 25th Etchells Worlds but Tim has done 27. We both carry the wine glass on our spinnakers to signify a gentleman's wager of a bottle of fine wine on every race.” smiled Bill Steele. “We can see each other on the race course and today, it was very close in the first race, which I managed to win, and got away well in the second to win quite well. It was very nice of Justerini & Brooks to put up a fine bottle of wine today. I intend to enjoy it with my wife Annabelle, whom the boat, Chelsea Lady, is named after.”

The Etchells Worlds typically attract many world and Olympic champions, the 2016 World Championship entries include: Skip Dieball (USA), Jon McClean (USA) and Jeff Eiber (USA): 2015 Etchells World Champions. John Bertrand (AUS): America's Cup winning skipper, Etchells World Champion and Olympic medallist. Malcolm Page (AUS): two-time Olympic gold medallist and six-time 470 World Champion. Steve Benjamin (USA): Olympic silver medallist, Fireball, 505 and Maxi World Champion. Luis Doreste (ESP): Five time Olympian and two-time gold medallist. Lawrie Smith (GBR): multiple Whitbread Round the World Race skipper, two-time Olympic bronze medallist and Dragon World Champion. Ian Dobson (GBR): Five time GP14 World Champion and Chris Larson (USA): Melges 24, J/22, J/24, Mumm 36, Swan 45 and Maxi World Champion, to mention a few.

Four World Champion yachtswomen are competing: World Champion Match Racing and Olympic sisters, Lucy and Kate McGregor (GBR), 420 & J/111 World Champion Annabel Vose (GBR) and Stephanie Roble (USA) Etchells World Champion and 2014 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.

Racing at the 2016 Etchells World Championship will continue tomorrow, Tuesday 6th September, with two races scheduled in the Central Solent.

For full results click here