The Big Apple Lead First Round of the Flying 11 NSW State Championship

by David Price on 30 Nov 2010 Flying 11 NSW State Championship, was sailed on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th November 2010 at the Middle Harbour 16ft Skiffs Sailing Club.

Saturday 27th November - Race 1
It was standing room only around the Spit with the first round of the 2010-2011 NSW Flying 11 fleet rigging their boats in every spare and conceivable space along the beach front and across the channel on Clontarf Beach.
Picture perfect sailing conditions prevailed with the fleet procession out to the sound a spectacular display of youthful exuberance, a continuum of sail working their way to the start-line off Grotto Point.

Our RO Col Chidgey once again stepped up to the plate to kick off race one on time. Starting the fleet of 90 odd boats required an extended line of 350m in the predominantly northerly breeze of 12-15kts; this also necessitated using course #2, a starboard rounding making for some interesting group roundings to come.

First start – best start and they were off. The spectator craft assembled at the pin end were caught off guard with the top guns footing off to the left side of the course to the shoreline at Washaway Beach forcing many onlookers to scurry out of the path of the flying F11s at full pace.

The fleet virtually enveloped the Sound on the first beat, the leaders choosing to step up the left with 1394 Whomp Nick and Shaun Connor M16’SSC with a handsome lead around ahead of 1397 The Big Apple Matt Stenta and Simon Murnaghan M16’SSC, 1352 Boris Felix Grech and Adam Bloomfield M16’SSC, 1390 Intrepid Paul Darmanin and Felix Daverio M16’SSC and 1362 Boris Harry Price and Simon Boardman M16’SSC in hot pursuit.

The next set of reaches were a welcome gift to all crews with no spills, a worthy and remarkable success considering that this season’s fleet comprised almost 40% junior division skippers, many stretching their wings for the first time out in The Sound with the big breeze, current and swell rolling in from the Tasman Sea. There was also the occasional Manly – Sydney ferry to contend with albeit they did a great job to respect the fleet by steering out to sea with their commuters thoroughly enjoying the colourful display of spinnaker on show too.

By the time of the second last reaches to the wing mark, the buoy had been re-allocated to its original spot after a serious drift and the two leaders did not pick up on the mark well into the chase resulting in 1379 The Big Apple snatching the lead from 1394 Whomp at the corner and off to the bottom turn for the finish up at North Harbour. The battle for third was also a hot contended prize between 1352 Boris, 1390 Intrepid, 1362 Guccii and 1396 Voodoo Matt Ivshenko and Chris Stenta M16’SSC all within a few seconds of each other next around.

A steady cover by 1397 The Big Apple succeeded in retaining the lead of 19secs over 1394 Whomp by the finish line with 1390 Intrepid a further 34 secs behind taking third followed by 1352 Boris and 1363 Guccii comprising an all Manly crew front handful at the completion of race 1.

Race 2
After allowing for the whole fleet to finish their first race notwithstanding there were a few newbies now outside the NoR’s time constraints to receive a result, the RC got the second race of the day underway further up and out in The Sound with the wind now allowing for (a port rounding) #1 course.

The initial start at 1430hrs resulted in an over-exuberance of eagerness and the general was let-fly to bring them back for the second attempt, now under the I-flag. This had its expected effect and they got off to a clean start in a heavier 18-23kt nor-easterly breeze with a fair lump to play with.

Again, the strength headed west to the shoreline towards Washaway Beach, jumping on the ladder on port tack early to climb it all the way up to the top mark. At the top mark 1394 Whomp led just ahead of 1362 Guccii with 1373 Hammer Time entering the zone late on port tack then stalling onto the mark with the hard running current and blocking a shoot by 1362 Guccii, also rolling over the mark then doing his penalty, 1365 Whatever Angus Williams and Jesse Lilley M16’SSC and 1352 Boris following the drama next around in fourth and fifth position to the wing mark. It was close racing as 1362 Gucci had now gone from second to eighth in a matter of moments. One of the more enlivening scenes at this rounding was to see a first timer crew to the big F11 fleet 1364 Dynamite Matilda Lang and Jeremy Jones LC12’SSC head off to the wing mark in 10th spot having the race of their lives.

As was to be expected in the 20kt+ breeze, the gybe at the wing mark took its toll on a small percentage of crews but the rides experienced up to and beyond were more than savoured by the young F11 fleet, demonstrating a high level of skill and boatmanship to ride the seaway to the leeward mark off middle head.

At the finish of race 2, the table had turned from the previous race with 1394 Whomp claiming first place over team mate 1397 The Big Apple by 1min17secs and 1390 Intrepid another third a further 1min26sec astern, with 1365 Whatever and 1386 Voodoo to complete the handful placings.

Race 3
Sunday’s racing was very different to that of the previous day for the start of race 3, with overcast skies and a fluky ENE turning NNE 7kts of breeze served up to the now eighty four starters on day 2.

After a jump start from the fleet, the second start under the I flag got away at 1130hrs a little further east of the previous starts, with the fleet this time heading out to the right early on to grab the pressure the returning to the middle of the course with 1392 Oh Ryan Ryan Wilmot and Tristan Bongolan M16’SSC rounding the top mark six boat lengths ahead of 1383 Swift and Shift Joshua Tasker and Lachlan Atkins CSC, followed by 1379 Fire Fly Ravi Raj and Emma Jones HHSC, 1337 Shake Your Booties II Caitlyn and Sophie McIntosh B16’SSC and 1390 Intrepid.

By the second triangle 1392 Oh Ryan still led from 1379 Fire Fly and 1397 The Big Apple who had steadily consumed their prey to third position in pursuit of the wing mark for the final time in the race.

The breeze remained soft and had turned toward the NE as 1392 crossed to take line honours for race 3 a comfortable 1min 44secs ahead of 1379 Fire Fly followed by 1397 The Big Apple 50secs further back with 1352 Boris and 1383 Swift and Shift completing the top 5 place-getters for race 3.

Race 4
The last race of the day and the first round of the NSW Flying 11 State Championship got underway at a little after 2pm in a slow dying breeze of 5-8kts from the NE. The start was clean and 1352 Boris lead around the top mark with daylight between the next boats 1383 Swift and Shift, 1276 Predator Paddy Gilbert and Daniel Barnett HHSC, 1396 Voodoo and 1397 The Big Apple bunch up leading the rest of the fleet at this stage seemingly in a separate race astern.

With such a big lead, it was hard for 1352 to cover the entire fleet evenly but they nonetheless held out to take a convincing win of 2mins over the series leaders 1397 The Big Apple in second place. Third over the line was the lightweight crew and winners of race 3 1392 Oh Ryan behind them with 1383 Swift and Shift another good showing in fourth place and fifth place going to the home club’s 1336 Hydromatic Nathan Edwards and Loraine Gaborit MH16’SSC.

At the conclusion of Sunday’s racing, the 2010-2011 NSW Flying 11 State Championship round one has had four different crews claiming line honours. After four races with no drops until the second round of the in February 2011, Manly crew 1397 The Big Apple Matt Stenta and Simon Murnaghan lead the series with results of 1,2,3,2 – 8pts, 21 points clear ahead of their next rivals 1383 Swift and Shift CSC, 1396 Voodoo Matt Ivshenko and Chris Stenta M16’SSC, 1362 Boris Harry Price and Simon Boardman M16’SSC and 1394 Whomp Nick and Shaun Connor M16’SSC making up the top five finishers.

Full results www.flying11.yachting.org.au/