52nd Australian Contender Championship at Gosford Sailing Club - Overall
by Ross Hansen 21 Jan 04:02 PST
17-21 January 2022
It was looking like a great day for sailing with a 13-18 knot South Easterly blowing before the start. After several start relocations racing got away in fresh breeze but a rain squall came across and before boats got to the top mark and the wind dropped to zero!
The second attempt to start was again in fresh breeze, but another rain patch came across and within a minute the wind had dropped to 2 knots!
Racing was eventually abandoned after time ran out and Matt Mulder 'Socially Distant' BSC AUS2434 was crowned Australian Champion 2022 on only 10 points. Matt sailed so well and consistently all week and was presented with the trophy by past champion Mike Alsop who won his last title 52 years ago! It's Matt's fourth title and 29 years since he won his first title. Matt is a great guy and sailor, much deserving this title.
It was set up for an epic final day with 3-time world champion Mark Bulka 'Balance' 2457 McCrae YC looking for a couple of wins, but didn't get the chance and sailed so well too on only 12 points.
Lindsay Irwin 2486 'Angry Tractor' Blackrock SC capped off a great regatta with 3rd overall on 25 points and a highlight was winning the final race.
The Gosford sailing was so happy for the Contender Association, giving them a go at running the event and with seven relative new Contender sailors to the class they learned a lot.
Peter Walsh had a perfect regatta running everything and showed why he's so well regarded in the sailing community. There were more volunteers than sailors involved, making this event a great one, so thank-you to everyone.
Paul Cohen 'Encore' 2270 ACT was also acknowledged for his efforts organising everything for the regatta and presented with a fine wine. He also finished 4th overall and to top it off he won a magnificent Garmin watch in the raffle supplied by our sponsor Garmin. Tony Arends won the other prize of a Carbon Tiller from sponsor CST.
Sam Ellis GSC won the Rookie prize after just joining the class with good results.
Overall Results: (eight races, 1 discard)
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Skipper | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 2434 | Socially Distant (BSC) | Matthew Mulder | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 2 | 2457 | Balance (McCrae YC) | Mark Bulka | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 3 | 2486 | Angry Tractor (Blackrock SC) | Lindsay Irwin | 3 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 | (UFD) | 3 | 1 | 25 |
| 4 | 2270 | Encore (Canberra YC) | Paul Cohen | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 29 |
| 5 | 2676 | Eugene (SYC) | Grant Robinson | 7 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 47 |
| 6 | 2565 | Hector (Blairgowrie YS) | John Lindholm | 13 | 6 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 51 |
| 7 | 2560 | No Diggity (McCrae YC) | Jeff Owen | 8 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 52 |
| 7 | 2615 | Inherently Unstable (BSYC) | Sam Reid | 5 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 8 | (DNS) | 11 | 6 | 52 |
| 9 | 2642 | SSHHH (CYC) | Andrew Sutton | 11 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 68 |
| 10 | 2669 | Respite (GSC) | Sam Ellis | 17 | 20 | (RET) | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 70 |
| 11 | 2444 | Return (GSC) | John Humphries | 9 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 17 | 12 | 16 | (RET) | 81 |
| 12 | 2670 | Big Red (BYRA) | James Meggison | 16 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 83 |
| 13 | 2349 | Outrageous (Airlie Beach SC) | Luke Mairs | 6 | 14 | 21 | 14 | 11 | (UFD) | 9 | 11 | 86 |
| 14 | 2575 | Knotasha (McCrae YS) | Joey Randall | (DNS) | 15 | 7 | 18 | (OCS) | 4 | 17 | 4 | 88 |
| 15 | 2411 | Tricky (GSC) | Brian Pike | 10 | 11 | 19 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 13 | 89 |
| 16 | 1306 | Sweet Spot (GSC) | James Ellis | 15 | 17 | 5 | (RET) | 6 | (RET) | 10 | (DNS) | 92 |
| 17 | 2580 | Ujio (GSC) | Ross Hansen | 12 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 104 |
| 18 | 2 | Sydney Swans (GSC) | Lindsay Pike | 19 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 22 | 16 | 112 |
| 19 | 2643 | Battleship (Teralba SC) | Steve Ianna | 20 | 19 | 13 | (DNS) | 13 | 15 | 14 | (DNF) | 113 |
| 20 | 2196 | Sou Easter (Manly 16Ft) | Matt Triglone | 14 | 21 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 119 |
| 21 | 2648 | Flipper (Blairgowrie YS) | Ned Lindholm | 21 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 16 | (RET) | 20 | (FOC) | 123 |
| 22 | 3 | Kintsuji (RQYS) | John McLean | 22 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 21 | (FET) | 138 |
| 23 | 669 | Trash Talk (SPYC) | Tony Arends | 18 | 22 | 22 | 21 | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | 158 |
| 24 | 2131 | Captain Risky (GSC) | Nathan Gulliksen | (DNC) | (DNC) | 23 | (RET) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | (DNC) | 170 |