B14 Australian Nationals at Port Dalrymple Yacht Club - Overall
by Mark Barnes 31 Dec 2017 13:17 GMT
27-30 December 2017
The wind gods have their say as Rocketship rumbles
On day 3 of the Petuna and Bell Bay Aluminium B14 Open Australian Nationals at Beauty Point in Bell Bay, Northern Tasmania, the fleet arrived at the club to be greeted by a westerly 28 knots, gusting 34 knots. Due to the direction this also meant that the wind was coming over the hill and would be very gusty with big shifts.
The fleet were held ashore for 4 hours, until PRO Peter Sluce headed offshore to check out the course. Though the wind had abated a little, it was due to get up again, and it was now low water, so it was decided to call it a day and the Nationals closed out with 6 races sailed.
Winner of the Open and closed Australian Nationals were Rocketship (AUS - Nick Richardson/Adrian Beswick). Just to prove a point, they put some old sails on their B14 and headed out for a quick blast up and down the channel, coming back saying it was a bit fruity, but good fun.
So the prize giving was held at 1830 with more great food from the galley. A raffle supporting Cripps Charity (getting sailors into B14s in AUS) was held followed by the main prize giving.
The closed Australian Nationals Handicap Series 3rd, was Kirsty Gray/Julian Salter, 2nd Josh Harris/Bailey Edmunds and winners Isaac Mearns/Tom Killalea.
After a great two days of racing, the Worlds start on the 2nd January with five days of racing, 2 races a day with 2 discards if 9 races are held.
So it looks like the Ashes will be a close contest between the 2 GBR teams of Team Harken, Team GUL/North Sails and AUS teams Bonework, Bonus, Rocketship and Snatch.
Full overall results can be found here.