Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championship Race 5

4:02 AM Thu 14 Jan 2010 GMT

'Fleet under overcast skies - Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championship' Sail-World.com /AUS &copy Click Here to view large photo

It's day three of the Murphy & Nye 2010 International Etchells Australian Championship.

Under overcast skies the Etchells left the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club and sailed towards the centre of the Lake.

PRO Ross Wilson set course 165 with legs 2.1 nautical miles in length, starting the fleet in more open waters than yesterday and further off the Carey Bay shoreline.

The breeze was variable, blowing 10 - 18 knots as the fleet went into sequence for Race 5 of the series.

The start was clear with the Etchells going towards the Coal Point shoreline more advanced down the first beat.

The breeze had lifted to 16 knots at the top mark and a new pressure line came through, giving the advantage to those left of middle as they approached the top mark.

At the first mark Adam Beashel (Steam Packet 7) led the fleet, followed by Damien King (Barry), Ian Johnston (Bananas in Pyjamas), Graeme Taylor (Magpie), Tom Braidwood (Fantazia), Julian Plante (North Star), Brendan Garner (The Moe Szyslak Experience) and Kane Sinclair (Why be Flat), Bruce Cheek (7 to 4) and John Bertrand (Triad).

At the top mark for the last time Beashel rounded ahead of Garner, who had moved up into second. Taylor had also moved up a place, with Sinclair up from eighth to fourth. King dropped back to fifth, with Gary Boyd (B Squared) next and Ian Johnston seventh. Bertrand was back in tenth place.

Coming down the run towards the finish the Etchells found more pressure and went surfing.

Beashel was leading the fleet home. Bertrand made a move up into seventh.

Adam Beashel (Steam Packet 7) led from start to finish to win Race 5.

Graeme Taylor (Magpie) was second and Kane Sinclair (Why be Flat) third. Brendan Garner (The Moe Szyslak Experience) was next, then Ian Johnston (Bananas in Pyjamas) with John Bertrand (Triad) moving up one further place to finish sixth.

Winner Adam Beashel said 'It was just a matter of being patient and picking the shifts. The pressure is coming through in bands and its just about not making a mistake.'

More to follow.

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by Al Constable

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