Cadet World Championships at Sandy Bay Sailing Club - Day 4

Leaders in the Cadet worlds, Danyil Martynov and Pavlo Merezhko from Ukraine on day three of the Cadet worlds in Tasmania © Peter Harmsen

British sailors late challenge to Ukrainians

British sailors Alex Corby and Robert Keen, sailing GBR 9000, White Stuff, today notched up a first and second place on day four of the International Cadet World championship, slightly narrowed the lead of the Ukrainians UKR9855 - Danyil Martynov and Pavlo Merezhko.

Hobart sweltered in heatwave conditions for Hobart, Tasmania's capital city at 42° south, with 33° C temperature and a hot northerly wind averaging 22 knots, gusting up to 32 knots on the course area on a boisterous River Derwent.

The Australians also handled the tough conditions well, with AUS9523 – Brothers in Arms, sailed by Darcy Baranowski and Dominic Randall from Royal Geelong Yacht Club in Victoria, notching up a second place.

Day four of the Worlds at Sandy Bay Sailing Club started in a hot and breezy northerly. Principal race officer, Nick Hutton was hopeful to get at least two races in, aiming for four with tomorrow's forecast for even stronger winds and higher temperatures.

Race 9 started in an average wind reading of 22 knots with gusts up to 33 knots. The wind was consistent in direction but not so in strength, oscillating between 12 knots to 33 knots!

British crew, Corby and Keen, along with the local clubs Oliver Burnell and Isabelle Decler, quickly showed they were was out to beat the Ukrainian stranglehold.

They did succeed for at least three quarters of the race, but the Ukrainian crew of Danyil Martynov and Pavlo Merezhko had other ideas and were againt first over the finish line!

Darcy Baranowski and Dominic Randall from RGYC worked each leg to finish second. The final results for Race 9 were:

1. UKR9855, Danyil Martynov and Pavlo Merezhko
2. AUS9523, Brothers in Arms – Darcy Baranowski and Dominic Randall (RGYC)
3. GBR9000, White Stuff – Alex Corby and Robert Keen

Given that Race 9 proved fairly taxing on the young sailors, along with an increasing average wind, the PRO made the call to send them onshore for a rest and lunch while he and his race management crew monitored the weather conditions.

After a reasonable break and with the winds becoming more steady, the AP flag came down for the Worlds fleet and the sailors came back put to the course.

As it happened, the gusts started to creep up and once again the fleet started in an average wind speed of 23 knots.

This time GBR9000 took an early lead from the other Ukrainian crew, UKR9905 - Oleksandr Izarov and Andriy Kalinchuk, with the Dutch crew of NED8345 - Dafne Wijnbergh and Tess Wilschut also keeping pace with the leaders. The final results for Race 10 were:

1. GBR9000, White Stuff – Alex Corby and Robert Keen
2. UKR9905, Tasmania Devil - Oleksandr Izarov and Andriy Kalinchuk
3. NED8345, Cicada - Dafne Wijnbergh and Tess Wilschut

Whilst the wind was quite strong, the PRO wanted to get in another race, but a gust of 41 knots quickly put an end to that with about a quarter of the fleet capsizing.

All boats were sent ashore and that was the end of racing for the day. A credit to all the young sailors, especially the older skippers who looked after their young crews as well as all of the rescue boat personnel, who were outstanding!

Results after Day 4: (top ten)

1. UKR9855, Danyil Martynov and Pavlo Merezhko, 21 pts
2. UKR9905, Tasmania Devil - Oleksandr Izarov and Andriy Kalinchuk, 23 pts
3. GBR9000, White Stuff – Alex Corby and Robert Keen, 31 pts
4. POL9857, Piotr Szlachcic and Eryk Martynko, 49 pts
5. ARG9478, Agustin Pesallaccia and Mariano Pesallaccia, 59 pts
6. AUS9698, Wildcard – Liam Robinson and Nathan Field (RGYC) 66 pts
7. AUS9523, Brothers in Arms – Darcy Baranowski and Dominic Randall, 75 pts
8. GBR9876, Zest – Emma White and Ellie Wooton, 84 pts
9. NED8345, Cicada - Dafne Wijnbergh and Tess Wilschut, 85 pts
10. AUS9778, Impulse – Samantha Bailey and Laura Cooper, 86 pts

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