Monday 12 January 2009

Flying Fifteen Worlds 2009: Light Winds on Day Two


Flying Fifteen Worlds Day Two: the fleet with New Zealand's Ffrenetic (Murray Gilbert) to the fore. Image copyright Terri Dodds.

by David Seaman

Melbourne threatened a windless day Sunday morning with a dull overcast sky that postponed the first race. But all was not lost: the breeze gently arrived and the day turned into a beauty with a light but steady southerly breeze that built slightly to an afternoon peak of 10 knots.

There was further delay with a general recall halting the first start followed by another postponement to realign the left-hand bias. The eventual start was a beauty: a perfectly balanced line with top boats splitting between the boat and pin ends. Of the leading Aussie boats, Grant Alderson in No Bull chose the left, with Steve Goacher in TBA preferring the right, both getting off to good clean starts.


Current series leaders, Barry Parkin and Tim Hall in ****. Image copyright Terri Dodds.

Both were beaten to the top mark by Barry Parkin in ****, however, who led the way down the next run while the Aussies in No Bull and TBA match-raced for position behind him. By the next rounding, **** had been overtaken, but regained the lead to eventually win the morning's race - and take first place for the series so far.


Australia's No Bull (Grant Alderson) briefly in the lead of race two at the bottom mark. Image copyright Terri Dodds.

The second race of the day saw a very different outcome. Art Gekko's (Mike Hart) 36th place of the morning turned into a first in the afternoon's race (subject to protest). New Zealand's David Tucker in 16 was on a roll, coming in second to cement his fifth place from the morning. Britain's Veronica Falat in One Under got a few over, with a third, followed by two more Kiwis, Ffrenetic (Murray Gilbert) and Blowffish (Craig Coulan), in fourth and fifth respectively.

Results (current top six placings overall):

1. 3911 **** Barry Parkin (GBR) 6-1-6 13pts
2. 3833 No Bull Grant Alderson (AUS) 2-2-13 17pts
3. 3821 TBA Steve Goacher 1-3-14 (GBR) 18pts
4. 3781 16 David Tucker (NZL) 15-5-2 22pts
5. 3739 Ffortune Aaron Goodmanson (NZL) 5-6-12 23pts
6. 3840 Ffrenetic Murray Gilbert (NZL) 11-17-4 32pts

Flying Fifteen Worlds 2009

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