Barker and Davis undefeated in NZ Match Racing

9:52 PM Wed 26 Nov 2008 GMT

'Rod Davis, undefeated on Day 1 of the 2008 New Zealand Match Racing Championships' Richard Gladwell Click Here to view large photo

Day 1 of the New Zealand Match Racing Championships saw competitors take the water in some very trying conditions, for both the sailors and the race committee.

Teams headed out onto the water, and with racing postponed to initially, they were left to try and figure out the conditions on a day which anything was possible.

With a very gentle 3-4 knots in the morning, the breeze was coming out of the South West, and going North as the day went on. Teams had to contend with a strong tide and wind shifts of between 10 - 15 degrees, which meant that if the difficult conditions were read correctly, the crews were able to extend their lead or close the match right up. The day had some close races!!

Ben Ainslie (GBR) in action on Day 1 of the 2008 New Zealand Match Racing Championships - Richard Gladwell Click Here to view large photo

The Race Committee managed to get five flights away, with skippers Dean Barker and Rod Davis leaving the course undefeated, whilst all other teams had mixed results.

One close race saw Jess Smyth lead Adam Minoprio in a tight race around the course, going head to wind at the top mark, Jess managed to hold her lead and win the race by 10 seconds. Adrian Short, commented that the races were fairly close, but there were not many incidents or tricky situations. Laurie Jury was able to take a race off Ben Ainslie in a race which saw Jury extend to a lead of 22 seconds.

Jessica Smythe tacks ahead and to leeward of Adam Minoprio on Day 1 of the 2008 New Zealand Match Racing Championships - Richard Gladwell Click Here to view large photo

After five flights today took up a long and exhausting day today, the field is still wide open for teams to change their odds, and after the first round robin is completed (as scheduled for tomorrow) we might just a change in performance for some of these teams.

The title is still up for anyone, and with the hope of a little more wind to start off with tomorrow, racing will be able to get underway as scheduled at 10am.

Dean Barker and crew on Day 1 of the 2008 New Zealand Match Racing Championships - Richard Gladwell

Results from Flight One:

Davis beat Jury: 1 min 30 secs
Robertson beat Corbett: 53 secs
Smyth beat Short: 10 secs
Barker beat Dawson
Ainslie beat Junior: 1 min 29 secs

Flight Two:
Robertson beat Smyth 38 secs
Davis beat Junior 51 secs
Jury beat Ainslie 22 secs
Minoprio beat Dawson 31 secs
Short beat Corbett 29 secs

Flight Three:
Junior beat Dawson 1 min 43 secs
Ainslie beat Short 50 secs
Barker beat Corbett 49 secs
Smyth beat Minoprio 6 secs
Davis beat Robertson 36 secs

light Four:
Minoprio beat Corbett 13 secs
Davis beat Short 45 secs
Ainslie beat Robertson 13 secs
Barker beat Smyth 41 secs
Jury beat Dawson 1 min 7 secs

Flight Five:
Smyth beat Junior 13 secs
Barker beat Robertson 41 secs
Davis beat Dawson 43 secs
Jury beat Corbett 10 secs
Minoprio beat Short 37 secs

by RNZYS Media

Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos: