Farr 40 Australian Championship at Middle Harbour Yacht Club - Day 2
by Lisa Ratcliff, Australian Farr 40 media 30 Jan 2016 07:33 GMT
29-31 January 2016
Transfusion steams ahead
The Transfusion train is steaming away from the other carriages at the Farr 40 National Championship: John Calvert-Jones Trophy, leaving an almighty tussle for the minor placings with one day remaining.
Results on day two were widespread; Lang Walker's Kokomo, Gordon Ketelbey's Zen, Rob Pitts' Double Black and Guido Belgiorno-Nettis' Transfusion all scoring wins on Saturday January 30, 2016.
Transfusion leads Edake and Kokomo on series points after six races.
"The boats are really close, even the second and third time around the top mark there's lots of yelling and calling for buoy room," said international class president Martin Hill, now fourth on the ladder with Estate Master after a mixed day. "The Farr 40s are putting on great one design competition as always."
Middle Harbour Yacht Club PRO Phil Yeomans ran race three in a fickle five knots near the Sow & Pigs reef. Marks were then re-laid further north, back at the Sound between South, Middle and North Heads, and races four, five and six ran in steady 10-12 knot sou'easters on one of the cleanest tracks of the season according to one skipper.
Racing was completed well before another storm front rolled in from the North West. The weekend's unsettled weather and subtropical like conditions, 89% humidity and afternoon storms, are due to a complex low pressure system with multiple centres laying over New South Wales.
Zen closed the day out with a best score, Ketelbey relaying "We managed to get in front then extend. We picked the right side going up the track and probably got a bit lucky, then kept our position the whole way around the track. It was good class sailing."
On the approaching pre-worlds and world championship starting February 16 the MHYC skipper said, "We are into the program; we'd like to be further up the field and we are heading in that direction. Let's hope our momentum continues."
Martin and Lisa Hill's day two was a rollercoaster; last in race 5 after Estate Master's kite went under the bow during a drop, and third in race 6. Their speed is on par with the yardstick boats, it's the lack of rhythm among the new crew that's having an impact.
"Every race we were leading we have a story for not winning," Martin Hill said. "Today reminded me how important teamwork is. We'll sort out the coordination; we'd rather find out now than at the worlds! It's great to be on home waters and terrific to see Transfusion, Kokomo and particularly Edake doing so well."
Speaking about Estate Master's return to the local circuit Hill added, "The Australian fleet is fantastic. Having sailed against the internationals recently, the overseas teams definitely won't find it easy at the pre-worlds and Rolex Farr 40 World Championship on the harbour next month."
The championship title's final four races are scheduled tomorrow starting from 1100hrs and the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting variable winds around 10 knots becoming north-west to south-westerly 10-15 knots in the afternoon.
Team Transfusion is aiming for a record sixth Farr 40 National Championship: John Calvert-Jones Trophy class win tomorrow, and a second hometown world championship title in February. Their last world crown was in 2011 when Sydney hosted the pinnacle event.
Full results can be found here.