Fifteen crew head Etchells World Qualifying Series

3:47 AM Mon 24 Nov 2008 GMT

'Matt Whitnall's dot (AUS1134)and Ed McCarthy & Michael Coxon's North Sydney Station (AUS1273) racing in the Etchells Mini Regatta Photo: Kylie Wilson'

Former New Zealand America's Cup sailor David Clarke, helming Fifteen, which he owns in partnership with Andrew Smith, has finished at the top of the International Etchells Sydney Fleet World Qualifying Series, winning four of
the sailed on the Harbour since September.

The 12 heat series was cut to ten last Saturday when Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron abandoned the last two of the scheduled three final World Qualifying heats because of near galeforce winds on the Harbour.

Fifteen, with skipper David Clarke and his crew of Andrew 'Spot' Smith and Sean Leonard, won four of the ten heats, finished second in two others and also notched up a third to top the series by a massive margin.

The World Qualifying Series is to select the top ten boat eligible to represent the Sydney Fleet in the 2009 International Etchells World Championship to be sailed on Melbourne's Port Phillip next March.

High octane racing is to be expected at the Audi Etchells Worlds 2009 - Audi Etchells Worlds 2009 - Andrea Francolini /Skandia

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia-based Fifteen finished with a net 22 points, with the next boat, Matt Whitnall's dot from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, on 39 points.

Four more CYCA-based boats followed: Rupert Henry Fathom and North Sydney Station, owned by Ed and Will McCarthy and Michael Coxon, Bushfire (Jervis Tilley) and Humpback (Stephen Barlow and Peter Gardner).

Although born in Australia, David Clarke was brought up and learned to sail in New Zealand. He was a member of the crew of the New Zealand America's Cup Challenger in Fremantle in 1987, but stayed on in Perth, marrying and
having a family.

Since moving to Sydney in 1998 in his profession as a patent attorney, Clarke has sailed Etchells regularly for various owners, but last year bought his own boat in partnership with Andrew Smith. They recruited Sean Leonard, who was also at the America's Cup in Fremantle, to make up a highly successful team which now has its sights on the 2009 Worlds in Melbourne.

The International Etchells next weekend will contest their NSW State Championship, conducted by the Gosford Sailing Club on Brisbane Waters where the local Fleet includes a newcomer to Etchells racing in Tom Slingsby, the
back-to-back current Laser World Champion and Olympian.

by Peter Campbell