Flying Fifteen Worlds at Melbourne - Overall Report
by Michael Thompson 22 Jan 2009 09:57 GMT
4-14 January 2009
The 2009 World Flying Fifteen Championship took place under the burgee of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria in Port Philip Bay, Melbourne from 4th to 14th of January.
The series began with the Australian National Championship which incorporated the Pre-World event. One hundred and seven boats entered and competed as one fleet over a seven-race series.
First blood went to the only Spanish entry, Jaques Chacartegui but the Championship was won by Australian’s Grant Alderson and Dean Mcaullay followed by Britain’s Barry Parkin and Tim Hall, with New Zealanders Aaron Goodmanson and Alister Rowlands third. British crews Steve Goacher and Phil Evans, Mike Hart and Richard Rigg, and David McKee and Chris Hewkin took the next places. Four more British crews made the top 25. The preliminary event proved a good indicator of form for the World Championship which followed after a two day break.
The first day of the World Championship was held in the afternoon with an 8-10 knot breeze which strengthened to 25 knots producing some large waves. The first mark saw Alderson, Apthorp, Hart, Bax, Goacher and Goodmanson round in that order. Steve Goacher and Phil Evans gradually worked their way into second place then planed past Grant Alderson three boats to leeward on the last reach to win.
Day 2 saw a postponement because of lack of breeze and, although the racing went ahead, lighter breezes prevailed and there were challenging wind-shifts throughout. The first race went according to form with Goacher and Alderson duelling ahead. Barry Parkin was close behind and the match in front allowed him to slip through on the last beat and take the race. The form book was discarded for the next race of the day with a marked shift at the start. A lot of the fleet was seduced to the pin end resulting in a raft of boats and chaos. Four British boats were black-flagged. The shifts continued throughout the race with Goodmanson, Alderson and Goacher finishing 11th to 13th in order. Mike Hart and Richard Rigg crossed the line first only to lose a protest over a port and starboard incident and, consequently, the race. Australians David Tucker and Matt Summers won followed by Veronica and Ben Falat from the UK with Murray Gilbert and Jonathan Burgen from New Zealand third. New Zealand boats occupied four of the top ten places. At half way, Barry Parkin, Grant Alderson and Steve Goacher occupied the top three places. The next day saw light breezes for race 4 and a two-and-a-half hour postponement and then a general recall: Hart and Rigg made amends for the previous day by leading from start to finish with Alan Bax second and Barry Parkin finishing third. In the afternoon race it was Grant Alderson’s turn to lead from start to finish after crossing the fleet on port. The British challenge was sustained by Mike Hart in second, Steve Goacher third and Barry Parkin fourth.
Race 6 was held in very challenging conditions: there was an offshore breeze inshore and a sea breeze offshore which collided on the race course producing some dramatic wind shifts and games of snakes and ladders. Aaron Goodmanson was 8th, but Steve Goacher finished 16th and Alan Bax 23rd, largely ending their challenges and leaving the last race to be a duel between Barry Parkin and Tim Hall and Grant Alderson and Dean Mcaullay.
Racing was abandoned the next day because of very strong winds. The final race got under way in a strong wind which abated somewhat. Aaaron Goodmanson from New Zealand won the last race with Steve Goacher second. In order to win, Barry Parkin had to hold Grant Alderson down the fleet so the discards would come into effect. However, Grant Alderson and Dean Mcaulley finished third ahead of Barry Parkin and Tim Hall giving the Australians the World title and completing the double. Barry Parkin and Tim Hall were second and Steve Goacher and Phil Evans third.
Other British boats to do well were David McKee, 5th, Mike Hart 6th, Alan Bax, 9th and Charles Apthorp, 10th. Veronica Falat and Adrian Tattersall also finished in the top 20.
In the Classic section British sailors Andy McKee and Maf Smith dominated the pre-world event sailing 2523, an old Windebank boat. They posted some outstanding results including beating all the “silver” boats on the water.
Their campaign for the World event proper got off to a disastrous start when they became waterlogged and had to retire. Thereafter, they barely put a foot wrong and finished an impressive 1,2,1,1,2,1. They had to endure a broken mast-ram and a challenge to the boat’s legitimacy to win the title.
The visitors greatly enjoyed the local hospitality and those from the northern hemisphere the escape from winter. The host Club provided a very well organized event in all respects, a Championship to remember.