Interstaters keep the locals honest at the NSW Youth Championships

by Mainsheet Media on 2 Oct 2011 As over 220 youth sailors started arriving on the first day of the 2011 Nautilus Marine NSW Youth Championships the wind forecast was light and variable and Lake Illawarra was calm and flat.

From Canberra, Victoria, Queensland and all over New South Wales youth sailors they have come to the Lake Illawarra to challenge for the NSW Championships on a weekend that also sees battles on the field in other sport codes that the young sailors seem oblivious to.

Racing on the first day started at 11:30am and as around 130 boats took to the water the breeze started to fill in from the south. Run over two courses, the twelve divisions completed four races and saw up to 15 knots of wind but no rain from the dark clouds that threatened during the final race.

The 29er class was taken out by one of the tourists as Fighissima with Tess Lloyd and Lewis Duncan from Sandringham placed in all but race four. Harry Price and Nathan Edwards came in second on a day was marred by a DNF on race two. 'I came down the course and missed a mark rounding' skipper Harry Price said ruefully back at the club.

Price and Edwards and third place getter Tom Siganto and Joel Turner from Queensland will be looking forward to the stronger winds forecast for day two.

In the 420 class it is James Brewer and Dylan Passmore from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club who lead on points coming into day two. In a class where Australia picked up a Bronze medal in the Youth Sailing World Championships in Croatia earlier this year, the sailors from Royal Prince Alfred and Middle Harbour know what to aim for with two days left.

The Bic Techno 293 boards were looking for some more wind during the day and as the 15 knots started to fill in Sam Treharne and Annalise Gilbert from Middle Harbour Yacht Club were fighting it out for first and second place. At the end of the day Sam took four firsts and Annalise four seconds.

The Flying 11 class is well represented with 27 boats competing. Madeleine Clancy and Simon Boardman took out first place on Fired Up and will be ‘fired up’ to defend that place on the second day as only one point separates them from second place getter Kurt Hansen and Lindsay Pike on Oscar. Angus Williams and Jesse Lilley on Whatever round out the top three.

Local sailors Dante Olivieri and Lachlan Nardone from Port Kembla Sailing Club took out four firsts on their Flying Ant Misguided Missile to hold out On Fire and Jack Flash from Toronto. The Toronto crews kept the locals honest over the four races though they will need to put in a good result on day two to catch them.

It is state against state with the tourists showing their colours as Jake Lilley from Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron leads after the first day on his Laser Radial. Only one point separates him from Nicholas Conner, RPAYC, and Thomas Vincent from VIC.

The rivalry continues as two more Victorians join Cassandra Schlimbach from the ACT on the leader board in the Laser 4.7s. Jake Felsenthal on Maximus holds the lead from Cassandra, and Ben Hartnett is third.

The largest class in the regatta this weekend is the Optimist. Over thirty boats are on the water in two fleets and the racing is close as these boats are flung around the course. Alec Brodie on Ran took three firsts and a second to lead the fleet, and his fellow sailor from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht club, Liam Bevan on Tom Thumb collected two firsts and two seconds in the Green Fleet.

Following on from his success at Queensland Youth Week Matthew Lang has continued on his winning way with his Sabot, Slippery Little Sucker, again living up to its name. Matthew leads the class from another sailor from Gosford, Sophie McIntosh on MacAttack.

Day two at the 2011 Nautilus Marine NSW Youth Championships is shaping up to be an entirely different day of racing. Rain and over 23 knots are expected on Lake Illawarra and the conditions are sure to shake up the results.

Follow the action at www.ynswyouthchamps.org.au
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