Please select your home edition
Edition
Vaikobi 2023 Gloves - LEADERBOARD

Endeavour Homes 2023 Flying Fifteen World Championship at Fremantle - Day 4

by Jonny Fullerton 21 Mar 10:17 GMT 18-25 March 2023
Flying 15 Worlds at Fremantle, West Australia day 4 © Regatta Services

Just one race today on yet another hot late summer day in Fremantle as the regatta passes the halfway point. The fleet was held ashore for a few hours until a soft sea breeze perked up about midday.

Race 7 begun in 7 - 11 knots from the SW. A course 6 was set which consisted of two windward / leeward legs followed by a beat to the finish. The race was started under black flag after one general recall.

It has become usual that the fleet are spread over a massive distance after only half the 1.3nm upwind leg has been sailed. At one point the right looked good then the trusty left looked good and just sometimes tacking on the shifts up the middle seems to pay. On this occasion new faces appeared first at the top mark, a British crew Terry Scutcher and Chris Hewkin representing Dubai Offshore SC and Burton/Shotley. They were followed by Graham Vials and Chris Turner (GBR) and more new faces in the kiwi crew of Wayne Avery and Ross Bannan from Manly SC in Auckland.

Pressure was a bit weak on the run back down to the gate but this was were the leaders split, two went right and two went left with Lachy Gilmour and Ryan Donaldson (AUS) playing the middle. The left seemed to pay dividends with a new leader at the windward mark. Nick Jerwood and Brad Sheridan (AUS) rounded clear of Scutcher and Hewkin with Gilmour and Donaldson moving up to third.

Another long run with the big fleet split on each gybe. Places remained the same at the bottom gate with one more upwind to sail to the finish. By now it was Jerwood / Sheridan's job to put a loose cover on the leaders to claim their first regatta win of the series. Scutcher and Hewkin were just able to defend second with Gilmour and Donaldson in third. Vials / Turner finished fourth and Grant Alderson and Luke Paterson (AUS) in fifth.

The kiwi crew Avery / Bannan did a great job to finish 7th, their best result of the championship. Both the Irish crew Lavery / Green and South African's Campbell Alexander and Ralph Thomas were the unlucky recipients of the black flag dropping down the overall leaderboard.

As the championship goes past the half way mark after 7 races with 1 discard, Vials / Turner remain in the lead overall but the gap is closing to second placed Jerwood / Sheridan. The other GBR boat Ian Pinnell and Ian Cadwallader remain third overall.

The fleet will enjoy an evening at Gage Roads Brewery on the Fremantle Harbour wall followed by daily presentations at the WA Maritime Museum. There is a lay day on Wednesday and racing resumes on Thursday.

Links:

Related Articles

Hyde Sails November Discounts!
Get ready for the 2024 season, buy now to get the best prices Get ready for the 2024 season, buy now to get the best prices on our sails, cover and accessories. Discount period ending 30th November! Posted on 18 Nov
Flying Fifteen New Zealand National Championship
Lake Taupo hosts the fleet Thirteen Flying 15 from across the North Island converged on Taupo last weekend for the 2023 New Zealand National Championship. The fleet included six of the boats that travelled to Fremantle for the World Championship in March. Posted on 16 Nov
A busy and successful Autumn for Hyde Sails
Winning the Flying Fifteen Nationals, the Squib Inlands and runner-up in the Osprey Nationals We chatted with Ben McGrane to find out about the busy schedule he and Hyde Sails had in September in a variety of classes, including the Flying Fifteen Nationals, the 70th Anniversary Osprey Nationals, and the Squib UK Inlands. Posted on 2 Nov
2023 Belgian Flying Fifteen Championship
Thirteen Flying from acroos Belgium and France take part Thirteen Flying Fifteens came together on 7th & 8th October for the 2023 Belgian Championship. In addition to the six crews from the organising club, three crews came from RYCM Liège and one from RCNV Visé. Posted on 16 Oct
Broxbourne Flying Fifteen
Final Southern Travellers Series Open of 2023 This was the last event in the Flying Fifteen Southern Travellers series held at Broxbourne Sailing club who sail on the gravel pit in the Lee Valley. Posted on 9 Oct
Flying Fifteen Western Australian Championships
Boisterous conditions on the Saturday during the event at Esperance, Western Australia The 62nd Western Australian Flying Fifteen Championships got under way under overcast skies in, what is normally, sunny Esperance. The predicted 25 knots of south-westerly didn't fully prevail but the breeze was boisterous enough. Posted on 2 Oct
Flying Fifteen Nationals at the WPNSA overall
The National Championship with everything! The final day dawned, and it was windy, a southerly with gusts of 26 - 28 knots. Many in the boat yard were wondering if the fleet would get racing and others had decided it was too windy for them and head home early. Posted on 26 Sep
Flying Fifteen Nationals at the WPNSA Day 3
A day where many boats got their best and worst results Day three dawned sunny with little breeze but with the promise of 7-12 knots from the south-west by midday. The class first enjoyed bacon sandwiches as they held their AGM and a dolphin was playing near the marina wall as added entertainment Posted on 24 Sep
Flying Fifteen Nationals at the WPNSA Day 2
Two races held on Weymouth Bay in a shifty North Westerly breeze The fleet headed out into Weymouth Bay in a shifty North Westerly breeze. The clear P flag starts ended on the first start as the fleet were over keen and a general recall was called. Posted on 23 Sep
Flying Fifteen Nationals at the WPNSA Day 1
Ben McGrane and Russ Clark lead after two races After the majority of competitors arriving on Wednesday had decided the best option was to lash the boats down and retreat inside Thursday dawned much sunnier and the boatyard was buzzing with activities as all competitors rigged their boats. Posted on 22 Sep