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Bertrand seals the win at Etchells Nationals in Adelaide

by Harry Fisher 13 Jan 02:03 GMT 7-12 January 2023
John Bertrand, George Richardson and Lewis Brake after the win - 2023 Australian Etchells Championship © Harry Fisher, Down Under Sail

Australian yachting icon John Bertrand, alongside star-studded crew George Richardson and Lewis Brake, has taken out the 2023 Australian Etchells Championship in a dominating display at the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia this week.

On board Triad2020, Bertrand's team won the event with a race to spare, sealing the win early on the final day before crunching the maths on board and heading back to the marina after the start of the final race.

Peter Merrington, Steve Jarvin and Ian McKillop in First Tracks held the regatta lead early in the event, however after a strong second half of the regatta by Bertrand, were left with a lot of work to do on the final day to take the win.

The Triad2020 team proved too good, sailing consistently in Race 8 to finish second over the line, while First Tracks battled hard after a difficult start to finish eighth.

"Well it feels pretty good and it's terrific sailing with these young blokes, talk about taking the project to another level," Bertrand said after the win.

"George (Richardson) comes from the world of match racing, out of the youth program at the CYCA in Sydney, and Lewis is an ex-Finn sailor in the Olympic program, so it really shows up in terms of their knowledge of the rules and just generally being on the pace."

Bertrand praised the hospitality, race management and weather conditions in Adelaide and said it was a pleasure to be back sailing Etchells in the Gulf St Vincent after a number of years.

"This week we've been blessed with the weather, it's been absolutely beautiful stuff, little sea breezes that are quite fresh sometimes, you couldn't have asked for anything better - Mother Nature did herself proud," he said.

"It's a real privilege to be out here and again, it's still the best racing in the country in terms of one design racing - it's absolutely superb.

"They're beautiful boats even though they're a very old design, we're talking about supreme racing, particularly in these types of conditions you couldn't ask for anything better."

The First Tracks team ended up second overall, while Chris Hampton, Samuel Haines and Elliott Hanson in Tango finished third overall.

Jeanne-Claude Strong and crew finished fifth overall and was the first placed female helm, while Bertrand won the Masters division and David Dunn and crew in Great White Hunter won the Grand Masters division.

Jason Ward and crew in Whisper came away with the middle-boat-of-the-regatta award, a tradition of the Etchells class, and walked away with a voucher from North Sails.

Media at this event was made possible thanks to the support of Hill PDA Consulting.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBoat NameSkipperClubR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9Pts
1AUS1478TRIAD2020John BertrandRBYC13253112[26S]18
2AUS1485FIRST TRACKSPeter MerringtonCYCA2212543[8]221
31466TANGOChris HamptonRBYC34442254[11]28
41484LISAROSEMartin HillRSYS41[15]19566638
51475FLYING HIGHJeanne‑Claude StrongRSYS763673[11]5138
61395SHOULDA GONE LEFTRobin DeussenCYCSA9883[10]623544
7AUS1483GREAT WHITE HUNTERDavid DunnRSYS67G57[8]887351
8AUS991TALLY HOPeter McNeillGSC12136111[16]41856
9AUS1473FUMANCHU2Mark RobertsMRC811[25]9691011468
10AUS1447AVALONMichael BellinghamRSYS5510813[18]9181078
11AUS832ANIMAL HOUSEDirk Van Der StruyfRFBYC16141213[18]77161297
12AUS1433FORTEMark CrierRPYC/RFBYC1177161210[21]2019102
13AUS1457WHISPERJason WardCYCSA131213104[23]191418103
14AUS1336GO WITH THE FLOWRichard SmithMYC1818[22]1219121399110
15AUS1088SUN TZURob BrownRSYS/CYCA10920[24]1424151017119
16AUS951OCBCaillin HowardCYCSA/RSAYS17161114161712[21]16119
171389SMOKING GUNNick GunnerRGYC14151817172116[24]7125
18AUS932KARABOSRon JacobsRPAYC151021[23]1111202221131
19865TAMM HA TAMMChristian BoillotRBYC20[26C]9221515181223134
20AUS1141MENS SHIRTS SHORT SKPeter StubbingsRBYC191716[21]2014141920139
21AUS1291THE DONDonald WilsonGSC222117202413[25]1313143
22AUS1386ANOTHER ONEDavid RoyleCYCSA2319241822[25]171715155
23AUS1311MYSTERY TAXIWayne KnillRSAYS[26S]26C19192522241514164
24AUS1444PLAYING AROUND 3Peter RobsonRBYC212014[25]2119232522165
25AUS1450AFRICAN QUEENJan MuyskenGSC[26S]26C23152320222326F178

For full results and other information about the event, head to cycsa.com.au/australian-etchells-championships.

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