29er Nationals Shootout continues - Day 3

by David Price on 31 Dec 2010 29er Nationals Day 3 brought a new sheriff to town from WA with four bullets loaded in their chamber after nine races at the Gill® 2010-2011 29er Australian National Championship with WA's Daniel Roberts and Jasper Warren MBSC heading the scoreboard with the NSW’s brothers Andrew and Will Chapman LC12’SSC just 2pts astern, QLD’s Josh Franklin and Lewis Brake RQYC a minor 3pts further behind and VIC’s James Sly and Tom Dwyer MSC only 4pts back from a podium place.

And there is still two days to go. The shoot-out between the guns from these states could not be any better!

Belmont again put on a prized nor-easter of around 13-15kts with plenty of sunshine to bring even more smiles to the surface from the fifty three 29er crews during three more races on picturesque Lake Macquarie, NSW.

Race 7 was an interesting one with the majority of the fleet heading off to the northern shoreline only to find they had to foot off dramatically after 'someone' eventually noticed a few smart cookies were rounding the top mark well ahead of them way over to the right of the course. (No-one has as yet owned up to who-led-who wrong from the top-guns leading this main pack btw). However, with the RO applying three laps to the first race of the day, there was enough time for the fleet to settle and reclaim their rightful positions in the majority of cases.

NSW’s Andrew and Will Chapman LC12’SSC weaved their way back through the fleet to claim victory in the first race of the day from local NSW crew Stuart McDonald and James Walters B16’SC, WA’s Daniel Roberts and Jasper Warren MBSC, WA’s all-girl crew Ella Giudice and Courtney Higgins RFBYC and NSW’s 29er newbies Harry Price and Sam Ellis M16’SSC.

Race 8 played out a little less dramatically with another three lapper from the RO. WA’s Daniel Roberts and Jasper Warren MBSC continued to flex their muscle once again taking line honours from QLD’s Josh Franklin and Lewis Brake RQYS, NSW’s Andrew and Will Chapman LC12’SSC, not-to-be-left-out ACT’s Andrea Gravey and Josh Owen CYC and VIC’s George Davis and Jack Lloyd SSCBC making their presence known as one of the top dogs too.

Race 9 was reconfigured to a two lap race but with longer legs to cap off another fine day on the water. The breeze remained constant from the north-east at 15kts and race 9 eventually confirmed the same top five status as the subsequent overall standings after three days of intense racing with WA’s Daniel Roberts and Jasper Warren MBSC stamping their seal on the present crown with another win ahead of NSW’s brothers Andrew and Will Chapman LC12’SSC, QLD’s Josh Franklin and Lewis Brake RQYS, day 2 leaders VIC’s James Sly and Tom Dwyer MSC and VIC’s gun mixed crew Tess Lloyd and Andrew Gilles SSCBC.

Another top nor-easter is forecast for day 4 of the Gill® 2010-2011 29er Australian National Championship. With all guns blazing now from the top crews of each state, the scene is well and truly set for some fantastic competition yet to be played out on day 5 on Lake Macquarie.