NSW Youth Match Racing Championships – Jay Griffin takes the title

by Jennifer Crooks on 7 Aug 2011 NSW Youth Match Racing Championships, hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, started Saturday 6 August 2011.

Jay Griffin secured his third consecutive Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Championship title with his crew of Alex Chittenden, Jack Breislin and Kurt Hansen. Griffin, representing the host club the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, finished round robin two on top of the leaderboard.

This gave him the option to select his opponent to sail off against in the first to two semi final. Griffin elected to sail off against fellow CYCA clubmate Andrea Green, leaving yesterday’s leader Byron White (CYCA) to face off against Sophie Lahey from Southport Yacht Club.

Griffin’s experience in tough match racing conditions shone through as he trounced Green 2-0 to make his way into the grand final. In the other semi-final White also won 2-0 over Lahey, giving him a grand final berth and leaving Green and Lahey to fight it out in the Petit Final.

It would only take two more matches for Griffin to be crowned the Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Champion, his third consecutive win in this regatta. Griffin was also part of the 2008 winning team skippered by Will Ryan.

'It’s a great result,' Griffin said dockside this afternoon. 'We took on what we learnt yesterday as a crew and I’d like to thank my crew for all their efforts. This was their first competitive match racing regatta after training in the YSA Development Squad over winter.

'The result shows the depth of talent that the CYCA Youth Sailing Academy is developing. Thanks to Club Marine for sponsoring this important event which allows us to showcase this talent,' Griffin added.

Yesterday’s leader, Bryon White was pleased with the end result – a second place behind club mate Griffin. 'Jay just got on top of us when it really mattered,' White said.

'We had a rocky start to the morning, losing two matches, but we got everything sorted to finish two up in the semis. It was a good result for our first regatta together as a crew and I hope to improve on this in the future,' White added.

In the Petit Final Andrea Green defeated Sophie Lahey 2-0, giving CYCA a podium monopoly.

'We had a pretty good second day and full credit to my team – we improved throughout the regatta, ' Green said this evening.

For Sophie Lahey, it was a bit of a disappointing end to the regatta after a strong performance yesterday.

Racing commenced at 1015hrs in the vicinity of Point Piper. Race Officer Brian Brenac described the conditions as oscillating north to north north easterly of seven to ten knots.

'There were big swings in the breeze up, down and around and the competition was fierce. Congratulations to all competitors,' Brenac said.

Griffin, as the winner of the Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Championship, gains automatic entry into the Australian Youth Match Racing Championship that will be sailed on Bakewell White 8’s and hosted by Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Perth, WA from 6 to 11 September.

Final Results
1st – Jay Griffin – CYCA
2nd – Byron White – CYCA
3rd – Andrea Green – CYCA
4th – Sophie Lahey – Southport YC
5th – Tim Forbes-Smith – CYCA
6th – Carla Sexton – RPAYC
7th - Reece Tailby – RPAYC
8th – Matthew Stenta – RPAYC
9th - Nicholas Howe – RSYS

CYCA website