2012 Mitre 10 MEGA NZ Paper Tiger Nationals - Day 4
by Rowdy Leatham on 5 Jan 2012
Carl Syman (Evans Bay) racing at the 2011 National Paper Tiger Championships SW
Following a rest day yesterday the 2012 Mitre 10 MEGA NZ Paper Tiger National Championships got back into action today with the third day of racing and another three races completed in 8-12 knots of breeze and blue skies this afternoon.
Industrial Chemistry Services Race Four saw Mark Bell (Ponsonby, Auckland) take honours following a hard fought battle with Dave Shaw (Nelson). Bob Preston (Nelson) came through on the final leg to sneak a second place.
IED Lifting Centre Race Five saw Preston take the victory with a dominant performance where he lead from start to finish. Finally finishing 2 minutes ahead of the second placed boat.
Contact Energy Ltd Rave Six saw Bell take honours following an intense battle between the top four boats, with the result not decided until the final few metres before the finish line.
After the completion of day four, Bob Preston has the lead by one point from Ryan (Rowdy) Leatham (New Plymouth) and Mark Bell a further two point back. Dave Shaw and Scott Pedersen round out the top five.
Competition in the B Grade is still tight with Denis Leatham (New Plymouth) in 11th overall coming out on top following today's racing. Jamie Hatch (New Plymouth) is currently leading the C Grade in 13th overall, but there are only 4 points between the first three boats in this grade. Jane Thomassen (Evans Bay, Wellington) is currently the first Female in 37th overall, however the title is still up for grabs with Pauline Sutherland (New Plymouth) only four points behind.
The competition draws to a close tomorrow (Friday 6 Jan), with competition still incredibly close and all titles still up for grabs, it will be a restless night for many competitors and some dreams will be made while others are broken in the final day tomorrow.
Full results can be found at: http://www.sportsground.co.nz/ClubSite.asp?SiteID=5533&PageTypeID=18
The Organising Committee and the New Zealand Paper Tiger Owners Association would like to thank the following sponsors for their contribution to the event.
Major Sponsor: Mitre 10 MEGA
Additional Sponsors: Tiger Automation Ltd, Jacksons Flooring, Kaefer Services Ltd, Rimu Electrical Ltd, Industrial Chemistry Services, IED Lifting Centre Ltd, Contact Energy Ltd, Dinamic Canvas Ltd, Olex NZ Ltd, Busing Russell Chartered Accountants, Gusto Resturant & Cafe, Mermaid Gallery.
The Paper Tiger is a catamaran designed by Ron Given of New Zealand in 1968.
It is widely sailed in New Zealand and Australia.
Paper Tiger Overall Dimensions
Length: 14 ft (4.3m)
Width: 7ft (2.2m)
Minimum Weight: 110 lbs (50kg)
Sail Area: 100 sq ft (9.2 m2)
w: www.papertiger.org.nz
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