After a morning practice session comprising a mixed round-robin at the request of the competitors, racing got underway at 1.30 this afternoon in absolutely sparkling conditions but with a shifty light south-westerly breeze that ranged from 8 - 13 knots. Racing was made challenging for sailors and the race management personnel alike.

The format for this event is direct to finals with the first to win seven races declared the winner of the Regional Finals and then going on from here to the Grand Finals of the Nations Cup in Brazil next March.

The Australians have sent two very strong teams and this was reflected in the results from today's matches. Katie Spithill's Australian Women's team lead New Zealand's Jessica Smyth 4 - 0.

In the Open Division with Evan Walker' Australian team going out to 2 - 0 before the Kiwi's came back and won the next two races to level the score.

Racing continues tomorrow Saturday, scheduled to start at 10.00 am

AUSTRALIA Women's Team 4

Katie Spithill, Nina Curtis, Jessica Eastwell, Amanda Scrivenor

NEW ZEALAND: Women's Team 0
Jessica Smyth, Raynor Smeal, Anna de Fluiter and Amy Mulcahy

AUSTRALIA Open Division Team 2
Evan Walker, Will Ryan, Ed Hackney

NEW ZEALAND Open Division 2
Adrian Short, Scott Burling, Peter Burling

by Sail-World

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