Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Brothers

Endeavour Homes 2023 Flying Fifteen World Championship at Fremantle - Day 5

by Jonny Fullerton 23 Mar 11:53 GMT 18-25 March 2023
Flying 15 Worlds at Fremantle, West Australia day 5 © Regatta Services

Two leaders edging away from the rest of the fleet

After an epic lay day where the vast majority of the fleet of 150 competitors took a boat trip to Rotto (Rottnest Island) 19 nm off Fremantle for a mass raft up of power vessel's loaded to the gunnels with booze and food and a massive lunch at the pub, a day that will be remembered for a long time. Today we got back to the business of the Flying Fifteen World Championship.

Two more races held in light to moderate conditions produced similar results with the first two boats edging ahead of the rest of the fleet. Graham Vials and Chris Turner (GBR) won both races just ahead of Nick Jerwood and Brad Sheridan (AUS) (2/2). Both crews are putting a bit of daylight between themselves and the rest of the fleet.

Race 8 began just after noon in a light 9 - 10 knot breeze from SW direction. Again the windward / leeward course of 2 laps was chosen. After the usual huge separation across the course, the usual suspects came into view at the top mark.

Vials and Turner rounded in front of Jerwood and Sheridan with a newcomer to the front of the fleet in the crew from Durban in South Africa, Campbell Alexander and Ralph Thomas (RNYC/PYC). By the turn at the gate the top two remained the same but Charles and Charlie Apthorp (GBR) and Andrew and Anne Knowles (AUS) entered the frame.

One more upwind and the Knowles family from South of Perth YC challenged club mates Jerwood / Sheridan at the top mark rounding. On the long run back to the finish Vials / Turner held off the two Australians to take his fourth winning gun of the regatta. Jerwood / Sheridan collecting second and the Knowles family third. Working up to fourth was the steadily improving locals Lachy Gilmour and Ryan Donaldson from Royal Freshwater Bay YC. The Apthorp family claimed their best result of the regatta with fifth.

A short turn around and race 9 started with a course 6, two windward / leeward legs followed by a beat to the finish, under very similar conditions 8 - 11 knots from a bearing of 240 degrees. For the first lap it was the same story, Vials / Turner just in front of Jerwood / Sheridan but the fight for placings 3 - 6 still a good bun fight.

Another South of Perth boat sailed by the Dunbar brothers Mike and Paul, were fighting it out with some regular top 6 boats, Ian Pinnell and Ian Cadwallader (GBR) and Gilmour / Donaldson (AUS). The first two boats remained the same but the fight for third remained tight until the last 100 meters to the finish line. A couple of cover tacks and the Dunbars crossed third, their best result of the regatta.

After 9 races have been sailed the second discard comes into play so there has been a bit of movement in the overall results. Graham Vials and Chris Turner remain in front with a points gap of 6 points from Nick Jerwood and Brad Sheridan. The British pair have however now racked up 5 race wins in the series.

Ian Pinnell and Ian Cadwallader remain in third overall but only one point ahead of Lachy Gilmour and Ryan Donaldson who themselves move into fourth overall. The Scots, Hamish Mackay and Andrew Lawson occupy fifth.

We move into the penultimate day of the regatta with it looking like a two horse race for the title but with three more races to sail it is still in the balance. Races 10 and 11 are scheduled for a 12 noon start local time with a forecast of similar light to moderate breeze.

Links:

Related Articles

Six months to International Paint Poole Regatta
Includes GBR IRC National Championship and VPRS Southern Area Championship Just under six months remain until the starting gun fires on the eagerly anticipated International Paint Poole Regatta 2024 and sailing enthusiasts are gearing up for the most spectacular event hosted to date. Posted on 6 Dec
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