Ante Razmilovic wins Etchells Race 4

by Al Constable/Rob Kothe on water on 21 Nov 2006 Britain's Ante Razmilovic won the Audi Etchells Worlds Race 4 off Fremantle this afternoon, ahead of American Craig Healy and Australian Mark Bulka.

Ante and his brother Nils have been prominent in the Cowes fleets for many years. This year Ante was sixth in the Etchells Europeans.

Here is how the race unfolded.

On the port end of the line, Stuart Childerley half way down from the Black Swan was fast. About three boats up Ante Razmilovic had similar speed. The boats between them were ‘spat out’ to the right and the two leaders stayed on starboard for more than ten minutes.

Most of the fleet sailed left although a group of ten boats at the top end flicked right off the line.

75 percent of the fleet was still on the left as they went up the course. The wind speed was a steady 12 – 13 knots and the fleet presented as a great sight for the many spectator boats, as they headed to the mark.

Half way to the first mark and the leaders had gone up the left hand side (southern side) of the course, the middle of the fleet has gone more to the right and breeze was a steady 14 -15 knots.

Richard Coxon (North Sydney Station AUS 1273) led down the run from Craig Healy (I Love My Wife USA 946). The third boat was the now very familiar Jud Smith’s Feng Shui (USA 1061), four boats lengths behind Healey. Mark Bradford was one boat length further back followed closely by Ante Razmilovic. The class ‘newcomer’ Andy Beadsworth was a further three boat lengths back, then came New Zealand’s Alastair Gair (Velsheda NZL 950) and Sydney’s Julian Plante (North Sydney AUS 1254).

Coxon led around the windward mark, 10 seconds ahead of Craig Healy, with Jud Smith a further 38 seconds back in third. Mark Bradford followed, just six seconds behind with Ante Razmilovic four seconds astern of Bradford. Briton Andy Beadsworth was seven seconds further back, followed by Alastair Gair, Julian Plante, Murray Smith and Roger Hickman.

Stuart Childerley rounded in 13th, Michael Manford in 14th, Rob Brown 15th and John Bertrand in 20th.

Coming down the run for the first time the most left hand boat was Coxon, who still just led from Craig Healy. Mark Bradford had come abeam of group. With the first two boats, clear, the next group of three sailed abreast, with a gap of about five boat lengths appearing to the next group. Coxon was losing ground.

At the second mark, Craig Healy led with Ante Razmilovic - they could not be separated. Mark Bradford was just one second behind, with Richard Coxon dropping back to fourth, three seconds behind Bradford. Julian Plante rounded fifth; with Jud Smith has dropping back to sixth. Stuart Childerley who had moved up three places to be tenth followed Alastair Gair, Andy Beadsworth and Murray Smith. Michael Manford and Roger Hickman followed.

Up the second beat, the majority of the fleet went hard left. John Gilmour from Richmond CA, on a boat called Lost in the Fog (USA 1315) stayed right about a kilometre after the balance of the fleet went left. He’s either Lost in the Fog or his gamble will pay off and he will be a real star.

Coming up to the top mark for the second time, the breeze dropped to about 12 knots. Ante Razmilovic (GBR 1333), Craig Healy (USA 946) and Jud Smith (USA 1061) opened up a lead on the rest of the fleet. Smith has made up placings since the last mark rounding and seems to be signaling his intention to try to be on the podium again today.

Ante Razmilovic rounded first, six seconds ahead of Craig Healy. Jud Smith fell back slightly to be 29 seconds behind Healy, with Mark 'Squark' Bradford in fourth. Alastair Gair was a further 21 seconds back, followed by Murray Smith, Julian Plante (seventh), Stuart Childerley (eighth) and Rob Brown (ninth). Richard Coxon, the early leader, dropped back to tenth around the mark. John Bertrand moved up from 17th at the second mark, to be in 13th place.

As they came down the bottom of the run for the last time, Razmilovic on Swedish Blue, maintained his six boat lengths advantage over Craig Healy, with Jud Smith a further three boat lengths further back. By then, the breeze had dropped to 14 knots at this end of the course.

Rounding the mark for the last time, Ante Razmilovic had opened up the gap back to Craig Healy, who was 29 seconds behind the leader. Jud Smith was now 15 seconds behind Healy, with Mark Bulka making up ground to round in fourth place. Mark Bradford was a further five seconds back behind Bulka, with Julian Plante another 22 seconds in arrears. Stuart Childerley, Rob Brown, Andy Beadsworth and Murray Smith completed the top ten as the fleet headed for the finish line.

The breeze was gusting 20-22 knots, the blue sky dotted with light cirrus clouds and the course set to 220 as the fleet neared the finish line.

Ante Razmilovic held onto the lead beating Healy over the line, with Mark Bulka third, ahead of Mark Bradford, fourth. Jud Smith fell back down the last leg and finished fifth.