International Hogs Breath Race Week 2005 - Day 4
by Ian Grant 15 Aug 2005 14:44 BST
World champion firms grip on Boss Hog trophy
World F18 catamaran sailing champion Glenn Ashby and crew mate Andrew Williams expressed their class in tricky light winds off Airlie Beach today to firm a grip on the Hog’s Breath Australian championship.
Ashby (25) from Bendigo teamed up as crew with Sydney Olympic Tornado silver medalist Darren Bundock to win his second World F18 title in Holland last month.
The talented aquatic athlete showed his versatility and class as a helmsman picking the advantage line out of the prevailing light and unstable wind while Williams provided the sail handling skills to hand their rivals a sailing lesson with his high performance catamaran Paxus.
Ashby was on top of the game and always elected to be in the right place at the right time by sailing all of the variable wind changes on merit.
His starting technique from the front line made the most with the clear wind advantage to sail clear at maxium pace enabling Paxus to dictate the tactical strategy in both races.
Their heat wins allows the Paxus crew to control the championship ahead of the Queensland skippers Mal Gray and Neville Thompson representing the Sunstate Hobie team.