AUSTRALIA SUPREME IN 49ER
by Ian Grant on 20 Sep 2000
Rachel Nahum
Australian 49er skiff sailors valued the 'Grunt' from an ideal 15 knot Southerly wind on Sydney Harbour to score a narrow win in the third race earlier today.
Skipper Chris Nicholson and crew mate Daniel Phillips winners of several other major championships over the same waters displayed the value of the experienced and their well practiced crew technique to power sail into a prominent position
They had the confidence to sail the relatively true wind on merit after establishing a clear wind start which contributed to Nicholson's ability to control the race tactics before they were joined in a nip-n-tuck duel with the Finnish crew of Thomas Johanson and Jyrki Jarvi.
Both crews raced seconds apart with the Finnish combination surprising the World title winning Australians with their skill and technique, powering past on the fifth leg leaving Nicholson and Phillips to closely follow their white water wake.
But the never say die Australians realising their urgent need for a win fought back to snatch a thrilling 4 second win over the equally impressive Finn combination with another 25 seconds to the third placed Alfonso Domingos and Diogo Cayolla of Portugal.
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