420 Australian Nationals at Fremantle Sailing Club - Practice Race
by Bernie Kaaks 20 Dec 2017 20:02 GMT
20-23 December 2017
Day 6 - Australian 420 Nationals - Fremantle, WA - Day 5 © Angus Haslett
The 420 Nationals program began at the Fremantle Sailing Club this afternoon with a practice race.
Competitors clearly were far more concerned about testing the Fremantle waters than they were about any thought of serious competition. Separation of fleets was at best, confused, and the general recall signalled some forty seconds before the intended start was ignored as yachts blasted off into a typical Fremantle Doctor, the mostly reliable sea breeze which blesses the Perth metropolitan area each afternoon during the summer months.
Almost 150 entries have been received for the World Championship, which commences after Christmas, and 96 of these have entered the Australian 420 Nationals.
Today's shake-down may have been a little too informal for some, but it gave officials the opportunity to test their starting routines and mark layers a chance to set their courses and so achieved its objectives.
Race 1 of the Nationals is scheduled to start at one o'clock tomorrow afternoon in a forecast of slightly stronger breezes than today, which will certainly test some of the lighter crews.
More information at www.fsc.com.au/event/201718australian420championships