Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Champion defends title

by Jennifer Crooks on 8 Aug 2010 Jay Griffin and his crew of Ted Hackney and Will Parker, representing the host club, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia have successfully defended their Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Championship title after a very close day’s match racing.

With the course again laid in the vicinity of Rushcutters Bay and a light five-seven knot sou’westerly breeze, the final flights of Stage Two were completed. Griffin suffered his first defeat of the regatta in the final flight of stage two at the hands of Jordan Reece (RSYS).

From a leeward position, Reece locked Griffin out of the start line near the Committee vessel. Reece got away with a clear start, while Griffin trailed by nearly 30 seconds, Griffin immediately tacked to head right with Reece tacking to cover him. Reece remained ahead on the downwind leg, but Griffin closed the margin bringing breeze down the course with him from the right hand side.

After rounding the mark Griffin took a gamble and headed left to try to recoup some ground from Reece, but he had Griffin covered him. Reece extended his lead slightly, rounding the top mark ahead of Griffin; defeating him by 15 secs.

This win gave Reece the advantage to choose his opponent for the Semi Final match and he elected to sail against young up and coming CYCA skipper Tim Forbes-Smith.

With nothing to lose and everything to gain Forbes-Smith took to Reece from the beginning of their semi-final match up.

Reece trailed Forbes-Smith on the first upwind leg, with Forbes-Smith leading Reece as the breeze completely died out. Reece hoisted a kite on the upwind leg, as the breeze changed to a meek nor'wester, in a desperate attempt to regain the lead. The gamble didn't pay off and Forbes-Smith registers another upset of the Semi Finals.
In the other semi-final Rooklyn handed Griffin his second loss of the day and in the sail-off for fifth and sixth place Keats Thomson (CYCA) defeated Jaidan Stevens (RSYS).

All skippers in the first match of the semi-finals and sail-off for fifth and sixth position sought redress on the basis that racing was unfair due to the drop in the wind. The umpires formed an on-water jury and conducted three separate hearings with each of the protesting skippers. Principal Race Officer Mark Pryke was called to give evidence and stated 'that at all times throughout the course of the race, the Race Committee was monitoring the breeze and was in constant contact with the Chief Umpire and her team that felt racing was considered fair at all times.' Therefore the request for redress from the three skippers was denied and a short AP was taken whilst the Race Committee reversed the course as the breeze had begun to fill in from the north east.

Given the changes in conditions and the impending time limit, the Race Committee decided that the Petit-Finals and Finals would be a best of three race format and all skippers agreed to this change.

With the course re-set racing in the remaining two flights of the semi finals re-started with Griffin taking the lead early and dominating Rooklyn; Reece defeated Forbes-Smith and Thomson defeated Stevens, given her fifth place and Stevens sixth.

In the third and final matches of the semi-finals Griffin defeated Rooklyn and Forbes-Smith defeated Reece, after both boats were over at the start. After returning to the start line Forbes-Smith protected the left side and took the lead from Reece. After continuing to protect the left, Forbes-Smith established a commanding lead over Reece downwind and taking his place in the final against fellow CYCA skipper Griffin.

It would only take two matches of the finals race to determine the Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Champion for 2010 – Jay Griffin. In both matches Griffin faced tough competition from Forbes-Smith but it was the skills and match racing tactics displayed by Griffin that gave him the edge over Forbes-Smith.

'It was a very tough day on water with some tight sailing and I’m ecstatic to come away with the win. It was a little worrying when the wind died out but the Race Committee did an excellent job pushing through the remainder of the matches to decide the Championship,' Griffin said.

Jordan Reece finished third after defeating Ashlen Rooklyn in two tight matches.

Griffin receives automatic entry into the Australian Youth Match Racing Championships and is hoping to go one better than last year and take the national title. The Championships will be sailed on Blazer 23’s and hosted by Southport Yacht Club from 2-6 September.

Final Placings
1st - Jay Griffin – CYCA
2nd - Tim Forbes-Smith – CYCA
3rd - Jordan Reece – RSYS
4th - Ashlen Rooklyn – CYCA
5th - Keats Thomson – CYCA
6th - Jaidan Stevens – RSYS
7th - Oliver Hartas – CYCA
8th - Malcom Parker – RPAYC

Full round robin results available on http://www.cyca.com.au/editorial.asp?key=1539