ACO Musto Performance Skiff Worlds in Australia - Day 1
by Rick Perkins 5 Jan 2015 11:23 GMT
5-9 January 2015
Flat water like promised, not the big winds as some feared but still wind. Good conditions for the sailors to start the Worlds. All boats were able to compete and have fun. The wind was a bit shifty and around 8 to 12 knots.
The brothers Newman did a pretty good job and ended as first and second overall. With 5 boats from Australia and 5 from overseas in the top 10, it's going to be interesting for the rest of the week.
The day started with almost no wind and about 40 (degrees) so really hot. The race committee decided to put up AP for a while, waiting for the sea breeze to come in. Litres of water went into the sailors, as they were sweating while doing nothing.
In the first race there was a general recall, as the fleet was a little too keen to get started. The race-officer put in the U flag, "the soft black flag", and then they were all clear. Paul Dijkstra led the fleet to the left hand side which paid as the sea breeze kicked in and swung the wind round to the left. He, along with Dave Poston overstood the lay line allowing Tim Hill and Jon Newman to round the windward mark in front.
The leading pack hoisted kites and blasted off to the right hand side of the course, enjoying the 15-18 knots and going flat out downwind. Dave Poston managed to edge past Jon and Tim taking the lead at the downwind mark.
The leaders again hit the left hand side with Poston still in the lead at the windward mark, followed by Hill and Newman. Dave went too far right and Tim and Jon took a gust down the middle getting past him. Jon closed on Tim but couldn't get past him, so Tim took line honours, followed by Jon 2nd and Dave 3rd.
Race two started without any recalls in 8 to 10 knots with the fleet mostly headed left lead by Paul Dijkstra. Jon Newman was the first to tack for the but the fleet soon followed with small left and right shifts in the pressure the fleet worked its way to the top mark the big boys revelling in the gusts and lighter sailors gaining height and speed in the lulls. At the top it was Paul, Jon and Dave Poston making up the top 3.
The down winds were a search to find the pressure and stay on the plane but the later in the day it got the less wind there was. The race finished with an extremely close finish with Paul just drifting past Jon in the last boat length to the finish with Paul Newman holding out a fast finishing Arthur Brett to finish 3rd.
www.mustoskiff.com.au
Results after day 1:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Nat | R1 | R2 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | AUS 492 | Jon Newman | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 2nd | AUS 379 | Paul Newman | 6 | 3 | 9 | 9 |
| 3rd | AUS 472 | Tim Hill | 1 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| 3rd | NED 478 | Paul Dijkstra | 9 | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| 5th | GBR 520 | Dave Poston | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| 6th | AUS 489 | Denis Jones (M) | 4 | 11 | 15 | 15 |
| 6th | AUS 493 | Arthur Brett (M) | 11 | 4 | 15 | 15 |
| 8th | GBR 516 | John Reekie | 12 | 5 | 17 | 17 |
| 9th | SUI 470 | Nicolas Duchoud | 5 | 13 | 18 | 18 |
| 10th | GBR 449 | Ian Renilson (GM) | 8 | 10 | 18 | 18 |
| 11th | AUS 453 | Marcus Hamilton | 7 | 12 | 19 | 19 |
| 12th | AUS 511 | Chris Sutherland (GM) | 14 | 6 | 20 | 20 |
| 13th | GBR 446 | Ben Clegg (Y) | 17 | 8 | 25 | 25 |
| 14th | AUS 513 | Thor Schoenhoff | 13 | 15 | 28 | 28 |
| 15th | SUI 306 | Alexander Greil (Y) | 15 | 16 | 31 | 31 |
| 16th | GBR 456 | Sergei Samus (M) | 10 | 23 | 33 | 33 |
| 17th | AUS 244 | Colin Turner (M) | 16 | 17 | 33 | 33 |
| 18th | AUS 440 | Wayne Bates (M) | 21 | 18 | 39 | 39 |
| 19th | GBR 384 | Stuart Keegan | 20 | 19 | 39 | 39 |
| 20th | AUS 380 | Richie Robertson (M) | 27 | 14 | 41 | 41 |
| 21st | GBR 333 | Tim Chapman (GM) | 24 | 22 | 46 | 46 |
| 22nd | GBR 248 | Mark Haine | 19 | 30 | 49 | 49 |
| 23rd | GBR 394 | Nigel Walbank (GM) | 22 | 27 | 49 | 49 |
| 24th | AUS 218 | Richard Shallcross (M) | 23 | 26 | 49 | 49 |
| 25th | GBR 294 | Tom Conway (M) | 29 | 21 | 50 | 50 |
| 26th | AUS 423 | Daryl Stone (M) | 31 | 20 | 51 | 51 |
| 27th | GBR 228 | Ron Barnes (GM) | 28 | 24 | 52 | 52 |
| 28th | AUS 429 | Jayson Brownie | 25 | 28 | 53 | 53 |
| 29th | GBR 476 | John Archer | 18 | DNF | 54 | 54 |
| 30th | GBR 521 | Iain Morton (GM) | 32 | 25 | 57 | 57 |
| 31st | AUS 491 | Robin Dayes | 26 | 31 | 57 | 57 |
| 32nd | AUS 425 | David Taylor (GM) | 30 | 34 | 64 | 64 |
| 33rd | AUS 524 | James Lewis | DNF | 29 | 65 | 65 |
| 34th | AUS 357 | Chris Jahn | 33 | 32 | 65 | 65 |
| 35th | NZL 502 | Aaron Duncan | 34 | 33 | 67 | 67 |
