Hong Kong Etchells Showdown Race Day 1

by Marty Kaye on 7 Feb 2010 Hong Kong Etchells Showdown Race Day 1.

19 Etchells lined up for what was to be truly fantastic racing on Hong Kong's 'Gage Roads' Lamma track this afternoon with two windward leewards in a constant 16 Kts with some gusts up to 19Kts.

Commodore Warwick Downes was out early practicing to break his main halyard and limp home under jib before the racing even started to take a serious contender out of the day.

Racing started at 2:30 with a 15 degree pin start favour and Andy Lam won the pin with Marty Kaye and Ante Razmilovic a boat length up , the remaineder of the fleet were a bit gun shy with Jamie Mcwilliam, Mark Thornborrow and Laurence Mead mid line a few lengths back.

The 16-19 kt breeze out of 80 degree was shifting 10-15 degrees and Kaye took the first shift right ducking Razmilovic and crossing the chasing pack with Andy Lam hanging on starboard to hit the port layline. Ante extended his lead up the first beat with the pack going right in a lifting breeze. Ante, Lam, Kaye, Thornborrow at the top mark and a surfing run to the leeward mark seeing Ante extend further but Kaye jumping Lam to take second spot at the Turn, followed by Thornborrow.

Razmolivic had a good jump on the fleet and sailed away up the second beat with Kaye breaking his Jib Halyard and succumbing to Thornborrow and Lam in the first half of the beat with the chasing pack closing in, led by Mcwilliam closely followed by Nick Burns and Mead. At the final top mark Razmilovic convincing lead was settled with the fleet battling for second place, with Thornborrow rounding just before Kaye who had recovered and taken Lam on the windward work.

An exciting run with Mcwilliam showing great down wind pace to close in and take Lam on the run but Kaye and Thornborrow held off with the result being, 1. Razmilovic, 2. Thornborrow 3. Kaye 4. Mcwilliam.

Race two started shortly after with the breeze maintianing its 16-19kts with a five degree pin advantage.

Mcwilliam won the pin with Kaye one up and Razmilovic, Mead, Thornborrow mid line all with good starts,
Drag race out to the left and Kaye electing to take the first shift ducking Razmilovic and Thornborrow, crossing Mead and Yourieff. - all pretty close quarter racing with Kaye getting the inside shift and on the next cross Mcwilliam, Thornborrow ducking Kaye on Port with Razmilovic a bow ahead of Kaye. 10 Degree left shift, saw Kaye, Yourieff and Razmilovic overstanding and Thornborrow lead into the top mark, closely followed by Mcwilliam. Top Mark, saw Mead and Burns cross Kaye and Yourieff on starboard.

First run saw a few bullets of 20 -21 kts for a screaming run where Mcwilliam gybed first shortly followed by Razmilovic to jump Thornborrow to take the top 2 spots at the bottom mark. Mcwilliam showing continued great pace on the run with his LR Kite to catch a number of waves surfing.

Mead broke his pole uphaul to go into a slow chinese gybe with Kaye and Yourieff having to take avoiding action for what could have been a messy crash. Mead taking his turns and suffering in the close quarters fleet.

Razmilovic and Mcwilliam battled up the last beat with Razmilovic catching the last shift to lead Mcwilliam closely around the top mark, with Thornborrow leebowing Kaye on the starboard lay line 4 lengths back.

Another great surfing run where Razmilovic held of a charging Mcwilliam and Thornborrow with Kaye and Yourieff following close behind.

Day 1 results
Ante Razmilovic 1 1
Mark Thornborrow 2 3
Jamie Mcwilliam 4 2
Marty Kaye 3 4
David Yourieff 5 5

All to play for tomorrow with 4 races due in a 13 kt breeze easing to nine early afternoon.
Easy Tiger !