Zhik SB3 Worlds at Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Day 1
by Katie Ashworth 16 May 2011 13:14 PDT
16-20 May 2011
The 103 boat fleet of Laser SB3’s left Torquay Harbour this morning for the first three races of the 2011 Zhik SB3 World Championships. Split into 2 fleets, Orange and Yellow, the fleet lined up for the first scheduled race at 11.00 am. The Race Committee, on both courses, managed to get both fleets underway exactly to schedule. Impressive.
On the Yellow course, Robert Greenhalgh (GBR) showed his talent early on. Notching up a 1, 2, 1 on day one of a World Championships is a score card anyone would be proud of. Peter Saxton (GBR) won the first race on the Orange course and followed up with a 5, 2 placing him second overall overnight on day 1.
Nathan Outteridge (AUS) collected bowman Tom Slingsby (AUS) from the airport at 1am this morning, but lack of sleep and time on the water as a crew did little to dampen his crew’s performance. “This is my first day on bow ever! There’s a bit on when you get to the bottom mark” smiled Slingsby after completing the first race of the Championships, and their first race ever as a team with fellow Aussie Ian Brown.
The Orange course suffered 2 general recalls as the Race Committee tried to get the second race of the day away. Not deterred by the delay, Glenn Bourke (AUS) dominated the race, extending his lead on each leg. Chatting to Glenn last night he claimed to be “rusty”, but today he posted 5, 1, 11 on the score sheet. “More time in the boat will help us iron out some of our creases, but to take a win on the first day of an event like this always makes you feel good!”
2010 Laser SB3 World Champion Jerry Hill (GBR) had a difficult day to start the event. Sailing on the Orange course the 3 Sad Old Blokes struggled in the first race, finishing in 25th position. After starting deep in the second race, they picked their way back to a respectable 9th and despite damage, finished 6th in the third race of the day. “It was hard today, really hard,” explained Hill before disappearing to repair his boat.
Joe Llewellyn (GBR) grew up sailing in Tor Bay, and finished the first day of the Zhik SB3 World Championships with a win on the Orange course. Chatting to Joe in the bar of the Royal Torbay Yacht Club after racing he explained, “It was hard conditions today and we had a bad second race. We had some luck in the third race, we benefitted from some of the shifts and we won!” Joe recently became a father again, this time to twins, “I’m looking forward to another sleepless night tonight, and another day on the water tomorrow!”
A tired, but happy fleet enjoyed bowls of pasta and jugs of Shloer, provided by event sponsor “Beverage Brands” after racing at the Yacht Club. Three further races are scheduled for Tuesday 17th May. The fleet is slit again, simply by their odd or even overall position at the end of the first day of racing, for the final day of qualifying races.
Day 1 Video:
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