Oscar hits the lead at F11 Australian Titles

by Peter McIntosh on 19 Jan 2012 Gosford Sailing Club sailors Kurt Hansen and Lindsay Pike in their 14-year-old boat Oscar surged to the overall lead as the silver and gold fleets divided at the 2012 Gill Flying 11 National Championships at Salamander Bay, Port Stephens.

With overall points carried forward from the three-day qualifying series, positions changed dramatically after the first two gold fleet races. Oscar moved from third to first spot and previously fourth placed brothers Ashley and Daniel Heyworth from Manly took second place. Early joint leaders Jack Buchan and Emma Jones in Hammer Time from Belmont slipped to third spot. Fourth overall are previous joint leaders Angus Williams and Jesse Lilley in Whatever from Manly.

The breeze for the first gold and silver fleet races today was mostly moderate, ranging from 8-12 knots from the south-east.

Principal race officer Colin Chidgey said it was a great start to the business end of the championships, with ``good racing, good breeze and good water’’

There are still four more races to go with only seven points between the first four boats in the 44-strong gold fleet.
In today’s first race MWD lead all the way but won only by a boat length to Oscar. In the second race Manly’s Ryan Wilmot and Simon Murnaghan took line honours from Hammer Time and MWD. Oscar did not get the best start but fought back from 13th at the bottom mark to fourth, giving the consistent pair a three-point buffer overall.

Meanwhile in the 44-boat silver fleet, Caitlin Walmsley and Jessica Lawson from Manly in Knot Now are leading six points clear of clubmates Felix Daverio and Maxime Dupont in Intreped.