Day 1 Harken Int'l Youth Match Racing Championship

10:55 AM Thu 20 Nov 2008 GMT

'Williamson Leads Junior - Harken International Youth Match Racing Day 1' Sailsportz

Only five flights of the 2008 Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship were possible today due to wildly oscillating breezes caused by the presence of a number of storm cells off the coast which brought thunder, a little lightning and the threat of downpours to the Pittwater course area.

Defending Champion James Williamson and his crew of Brad Farrand, William Tiller and Jonothan Spurdle from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron set the early pace winning four of their five matches sailed with his only loss to Kieran Searle's Cruising Yacht Club of Australia team. 'I led off the line with a penalty on him but it was so shifty ' Williamson said.

Top ranked competitor Josh Junior from Royal Port Nicholson gave Amy Lee's host Club team a well deserved victory 'We led off the line' Junior said 'but they picked a nice right hander at the top mark and got by us.they sailed really well' . Four flights were conducted in a 12 kt NW breeze and then the thunderstorms cruised by around 2pm tugging the breeze around the compass several times and causing a 2 hour postponement. Eventually PRO Ted Anderson got a fifth flight away successfully in an 8kt NE breeze, quite the opposite direction to that indicated by the charts.

When Williamson and Junior met in this flight it was very close and with the pair overlapped at the top mark, Williamson luffed hard but Junior kept clear and trailed by just a length at the second top mark rounding. Williamson extended down the run to take this crucial win.

But with six teams yet to even take to the water it is still a very wide open Regatta and if today's demonstration of high precision sailing is any indication, it is going to be one of the toughest HARKEN'S on record.

Competitors will enjoy a (relatively) casual evening twilight sail with the Alfreds Sydney 38 fleet tonight. Tomorrow's 'forecast' is for W/SW winds returning to the NE in the afternoon.

Score tally for the six teams who sailed on Day 1;

NB. Six of the twelve teams are yet to sail

RNZYS James Williamson NZL 4/1
RPNYC Josh Junior NZL 3/2
RPYC Kinley Fowler AUS 3/2
CYCA Kieran Searle AUS 3/2
RSYS David Chapman AUS 2/3
RPAYC Amy Lee AUS 1/4

by Sailsportz

Newsfeed supplied by

#News #Sailing

Day 1 Harken Int'l Youth Match Racing Championship

Sports/News

Weather Forecasts & Live Reports

Buy & Sell/Classifieds