Synergy holds on for tight win

by Glen Stanaway on 26 Oct 2005 18-foot skiff veteran Michael Carter won the Sydney Flying Squadron’s championship race on the weekend by demonstrating great tenacity in demanding conditions.

The light breezes on the afternoon led to a grafting war of attrition rather than the usual explosive action one has come to expect from the 18 footers. Each of the teams tried to get the most from the conditions and it was a credit to Carter’s determination that he stayed with the leaders, only managing to take the lead on the last leg of the course.

With the light winds forecasted the race committee chose to shorten the course on Sydney Harbour, which caused mixed reactions amongst the skippers. Whilst many agreed that it was a sensible decision, Carter was initially against the call.

Synergy traded places with Avaya, Wentworth Courier / Sydney Times and Sydney Star for the most part of the race. Avaya skippered by a young Michael Rynan struck difficulties with the spinnaker getting caught in the rigging. Avaya lost possibly 10 minutes on the leaders in this single incident, which saw Rynan drop back to mid fleet.

Sydney Star also fell off the lead group half way through the race with an error with the spinnaker however showed good speed in the light airs to almost catch the two leaders by the finish. Michael Boyd has had considerable difficulties with this during the competition so far and a clean weekend free of errors should see him seriously threaten for the winner’s circle.

With these two having fallen away from the lead group it was Ian Pretty’s Wentworth Courier / Sydney Times and Synergy to battle it out for the lead. Carter just stuck to the simple principle of staying in clean air and minimizing tacks and gybes to keep the speed up as high as possible.

Other performers included veteran Adrian Dunphy who sailed the well-known Ella Bache into fourth place. Ella Bache held off challenges from Frame Group and ING who made up the middle of the fleet.

Spanish Olympic sailing coach Lea Sitja on Intercall initially struggled with the light conditions and was placed well back. However eventually Sitja grafted his way forward through the back markers and is showing improvement and great promise for the upcoming weeks.

Unfortunately Richard Scarr’s Dinghy Solutions broke its forestay whilst rigging and was unable to start the race. Minor damage was sustained but after affecting repairs in the afternoon, Scarr was able to compete in the Australian 18 footer League’s race instead.

In other racing at the Sydney Flying Squadron, Ed Blackman’s International 14foot skiff held off champion 12-foot skiffs to take the overall win in the Garde Sprint Series held on the weekend. Nick Press and Jon Temple are State and Interdominion champions respectively but were unable to rein in a rampant Blackman who enjoyed the light breezes.

Sydney Flying Squadron 18-Foot Skiffs
1. Synergy! (Michael Carter)
2. Wentworth Courier / Sydney Times (Ian Pretty)
3. Sydney Star (Michael Boyd)
4. Ella Bache (Adrian Dunphy)
5. Frame Group (Craig Doran)
6. ING (Chris Kameen)
7. Avaya (Michael Rynan)
8. Intercall (Lea Sitja)
9. Macquarie Bank (Michael McKensey)
10. Sign-a-Rama (Scott Merrington)
11. Dinghy Solutions (Richard Scarr, did not start)