B14 Worlds Days 1-3 Reports

by Event media on 13 Jan 2006 Blow by blow reports from the B-14 World's being sailed out the Woolahra Sailing Club on Sydney Harbour. Here are the reports from the first three days of the regatta. Thursday's report will be posted shortly.


Day 1 Monday January 9, 2006

Light ESE'ly conditions (5-10 knots) and blue skies greeted the fleet for the start of the B14 World Championships on Sydney Harbour. With a slight starboard bias on the line a large bunch of boats grouped at the committee boat. The first start was General Recalled. At the second start, several of the front runners were deemed to be OCS. The Nude (Ritchie Reynolds/Lissa McMillan) and Readycrest (Mark Barnes/Tom Pygall) were the only ones to return.

By the first windward mark Gutted Hedgehog (Matt Searle/Andy Ramus) established a good lead followed by a pack of boats closely bunched. On the run snakes and ladders came to play with the left hand side being favoured seeing the Nude shoot up to second. At the second top mark Gutted Hedgehog, The Nude and Bang Bang (Kieran Livermore/Tim Austin) had established a gap to fight out the podiums. By the third work the breeze had lightened off and become very shifty. CSC (Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons) used the conditions to move through the fleet whilst Bondi Tram (Nathan Mills/Jay Nibbs) maintained their position in the top five. Gutted hedgehog and The Nude fought it out down the last run with Searl and Ramus holding on to get the gun. CSC finished in third. Bang Bang was not far behind but was OCS along with two other boats.

Race two and the heat was on. The wind was lighter 5 - 8 knots from the SE and the temperature up. At the start the line was square with the boats on the bottom half getting the benefit of the starboard knock on the way across the bay. At the windward mark it was Boatracer.co.uk (Nils Jolliffe/Jonathon Branch) followed by Dump (Mark Watts/Karen Wiseman), Readycrest and Gutted Hedgehog.

With second to fourth closely bunched Boatracer.co.uk pulled away to a comfortable lead while the other three had a real dogfight for the next three rounds to the finish. Boatracer.co.uk did an excellent job and horizon jobbed the fleet. Coming into the finish three boat lengths separated Dump and Gutted Hedge at the committee boat end and Readycrest in the middle. However, coming into the finish, the pack closed on the front runners on the front of a 15 knot breeze. The big gainers were AT&T (Tim Fells/Sean Dwyer) and CST (Clive Watts/Chris Dixon) led the charge. Readycrest gybed on the line to pip AT&T by inches and CST a boat length behind with Dump fourth and Gutted Hedgehog fifth.

1. Boatracer.co.uk - Nils Jolliffe/Jonathon Branch - GBR/Whitstable YC - 4, 1 = 5

2. Gutted Hedgehog - Matt Searle/Andy Ramus - GBR/Hayling ISC - 1, 6 = 7

3. Readycrest - Mark Barnes/Tom Pygall - GBR/Whitstable YC - 5, 2 = 7

4. AT&T - Tim Fells/Sean Dwyer - GBR/Grafham SC - 7, 3 = 10

5. CSC - Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons - GBR/Brightlingsea SC - 3, 9 = 12

6. The Nude - Ritchie Reynolds/Lissa McMillan - AUS/Woollahra SC - 2, 11 = 13

7. Dump - Mark Watts/Karen Wiseman - GBR/Mayflower SC - 5, 11 = 16

8. PICA - Jamie Meers/Matt Gill GBR/Royal Bunham YC - 8, 10 = 18

9. Octopussy - Scott & Cameron Kennedy - AUS/Woollahra SC - 7, 13 = 20

10. Lightening Doesn’t Strike Twice - Simon Hadley/Pete Nicholson -- GBR/Brightlingsea SC - 12, 9 = 21

Day 2 Tuesday January 10, 2006

Day two of the CST Composites B14 World Championships on Sydney Harbour and the first race (Race 3) of the day was sailed in 18-22 Knots NE breeze accompanied by blue skies and a viscous chop. The fleet got away first time with the left side of the first beat paying with Gutted Hedgehog (Matt Searle/Andy Ramus) PICA (Jamie Meers/Matt Gill) ringing the bell in the left corner, rounding the windward mark first and second respectively.

The chasing pack played the right with lifts coming from Shark Island, third to fifth rounded the windward mark soon after. Downhill the fleet split left and right in search of bigger gusts with Bang Bang (Kierna Livermore/Tim Austin) making good gains to round second to Gutted Hedgehog. The leaders consolidated their positions on the second lap.

On the final third lap Gutted Hedgehog placed a close cover on Bang Bang to take the bullet. Meanwhile Nerdwork (Marty Johnson / Mike Halkes) stormed passed Pica downwind to take third, Boatracer.co.uk (Nils Jolliffe/Jonathan Branch) made a late surge for fifth.

Race 4 and the breeze had increased by a couple of knots with a slight shift left. First out of the blocks was Bang Bang who sailed an impressive first beat to lead at the top mark, they were never challenged again in the race. Meanwhile the rest of fleet worked the right-hand side of the beat with Pica rounding second followed by Minibus (Don & Kate Forster) and Gutted Hedgehog. Minibus tested their rudder pintle to destruction on the bear way and some how saved a spectacular capsize, but their race was over.

By the bottom mark Octopussy (Scott & Cameron Kennedy) and Nerdwork joined the chasing pack. Over the remaining two laps the Aussies handed out some downhill sailing lessons to get ahead of the Brits. Octopussy won the battle for second over Gutted Hedgehog, followed by Nerdwork and Pica.

1. Gutted Hedgehog - Matt Searle/Andy Ramus - GBR/Hayling ISC - 1, 6, 1, 3 = 11

2. Boatracer.co.uk - Nils Jolliffe/Jonathon Branch - GBR/Whitstable YC - 4, 1, 5, 7 = 17

3. PICA - Jamie Meers/Matt Gill GBR/Royal Bunham YC - 8, 10, 4, 5 = 27

4. Octopussy - Scott & Cameron Kennedy - AUS/Woollahra SC - 7, 13, 6, 2 = 28

5. AT&T - Tim Fells/Sean Dwyer - GBR/Grafham SC - 7, 3, 12, 6 = 28

6. CSC - Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons - GBR/Brightlingsea SC - 3, 9, 11, 10 = 33

7. Readycrest - Mark Barnes/Tom Pygall - GBR/Whitstable YC - 5, 2, 14, 18 = 39

8. Nerdwork - Marty Johnson/Mike Halkes - AUS/Woollahra SC - 17, 15, 3, 4 = 39

9. Evil C - Clive Watts/Chris Dixon - AUS/Woollahra SC - 20, 4, 16, 9 = 49

10. The Plumbers - Peter Ray/Gareth Wells-- AUS/Woollahra SC - 12, 17, 9, 11 = 49

Day 3 Wednesday January 11, 2006

Racing was cancelled for today as when on the water boats were experiencing
gusts up to 30 - 35 knots. Three races Thursday starting at 1300 hrs and
three races again on Friday.