Mirror Worlds at Albany, Australia - Day 3
by Peter Robinson 6 Jan 2011 09:40 GMT
27 December 2010 - 7 January 2011
GBR keep the lead
Day 3 saw probably the strangest weather conditions seen by the British Mirror fleet since arrival. The morning started warm and bright and without a breath of wind. As the boats prepared for light winds we could see a shimmer across the harbour and an increasing roughing of the water coming towards us. Then it hit, a hot dry wind from the North and temperatures soared to 41 degrees C. As the day progressed we saw thunder storms, torrential rain and squalls a plenty... then no wind at all again for the last 'race.
During all of this, the day got off to a start very well with Millie Newman and Jessica Rust (overnight overall leaders) taking 2nd place in the first race of the day (race 8), with Ross Kearney / Max Odell in the officially Irish boat (although Max is English) taking the win.
The Lulham-Robinsons came an excellent 4th and David Conlon / Charlotte Bond hot on their heels in a closely fought 5th place with only a boats length between 3rd-5th places.
Then it all went a bit downhill for the British girls; coming 19th in race 9 and 13th in race 10. While Ross and Max continued to pile on the pressure and move themselves into contention by taking an 8th in Race 9 and another 1st in Race 10 to win the day and leaving them only 1 point behind Millie and Jessica on aggregate (counting 2 discards).
Charlotte and David had a disastrous 9th race coming 35th after tangling with the committee boat anchor chain, capsizing and having to take 'turns' to ensure they weren't disqualified. Disheartened but not out of it they ventured out for the 10th and final race of the day to take another 35th moving them down to 15th overall and finally out of contention.
The last race was no race at all with barely enough wind to ruffle the sails following a torrential downpour leaving conditions hot, steamy and humid. Conditions that seemed to suit the Grayson boats with Ed and Mat Foster coming 6th and Emma and Rachel Grayson coming in 9th.
At the end of the day the Lulham-Robinsons have climbed back to 8th in Arctic Donkeez with a very solid 4th, 9th and 10th over the course of the day.
Miles and Rory Odell slipped slightly to 14th ahead of David and Charlotte, having suffered in the light winds of the last race. Ed Grayson and Mat Foster are sitting in 16th and Nigel & Rob Thomas holding 18th after another set of very consistent results (11th, 16th, 11th). Emma & Rachel Grayson sit in 27th overall, Craig Bond / Tom King in 29th, Martin Egan / Ruth Smith in 31st, Ollie and James King in 56th and Vicki Bond / Ben Eeles bringing up the rear in 61st.
Honours are still with Millie and Jessica after 10 races, they are 1 point ahead with 5 to go. Now is the time to get excited. Come on Britain, get behind them.
More information on the event website.