Going, going……Gone!

Americas Cup 34- Test Event Day 1

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Lahana takes line honours in Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race

Peter Millard and his crew overcame a slow start to crew the Sydney registered maxi sloop Lahana to a comfortable line honours win in the QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone Race earlier this afternoon.
Skipper Peter Millard said “The race was a test of patience for the first 42 n/mls however that struggle was soon replaced with a pleasant sail overnight”. “We elected to tack offshore and sailed into good pressure which I feel became the separation point between Lahana and Black Jack”.
Navigator Carl Crafoord supported his skippers comments “When the race because of the conditions favoured our longer waterline we knew Lahana would have the edge over Black Jack.Sure interest naturally hinged on the battle for the first to finish trophy and the drag race between the defending line honours champion Black Jack.

But that was put to rest when the Lahana crew elected the tactical option to sail their own race offshore while the smaller Black Jack sailed a more inshore course. Lahana held a race winning line honours lead when her crew reached a peak speed of 18.2 knots on the run from Breaksea Spit to Lady Elliot Island.

‘Taking the line honours was a special result and we will be back in 2012’ Skipper Peter Millard added when he stepped ashore to accept the Race Line Honours pennant from Race Director Herb Prendergast. The smaller Black Jack while finishing another 1 hour 20 minutes later produced an outstanding performance against the more powerful Lahana while the Marcus Blackmore skippered Hooligan remains poised to finish third later tonight.

More here: www.brisbanetogladstone.com.au

2011 Toyota NZIODA Optimist Nationals Day 3

New Zealand has reclaimed the top positions at the end of racing on the third day of the National Championship. With seven races in the bag, Leonard Takahashi-Fry of Murrays Bay BC had two bullets and a second to take a six point lead over Isaac McHardie of Hamilton, with Nathaniel Deverell of the Bay of Islands in third.

We stepped back into summer today – conditions were sunny, with a light chop while the wind continued to come from the north east, but at a very pleasant 9 – 12 knots.

With lighter winds the tide became a big factor in tactics for the sailors, especially with Easter having particularly strong tides. The Race Committee had their work cut out for them – having to take into consideration the tide for mark laying, and keeping out of the shipping chanel on a day when there were a number of shipping movements, in fact one of the early races in the day had to be abandoned as the course encroached on the shipping lane.

In the Green fleet all sailors completed their course and finished racing in the early afternoon. The Tahitian sailors have taken the lead – Vaite Delvallet being ahead of Romain Vigneron on count back, with yesterday’s leader, Henry Gibbs of Queen Charlotte YC in third.

Tomorrow the weather forecast is for the north easterly to continue up to 15 knots and possibly with rain coming through in the afternoon.

Australian Optis Sailors

5th Christoper Charlwood – FSC/RPYC

18th Alistair Young – FSC/ RPYC

22nd Jim Colley – Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club

26th James McLennan – Blackrock/Sandringham

28^th Kyle O’Connell – Southport Yacht Club

34th Nia Jerwood – FSC/ RPYC

53rd Kye Evans – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Regatta Shenanigans

Victims – Hobie 16′s
Culprits – 12′ Skiffs

Location – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

The Hobie sailors are planning their revenge…

We’ll keep you posted…!

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2011 Toyota NZIODA Optimist Nationals Day 2 Update

Racing got underway in earnest today – in the morning a moderate 8 – 10 knot north easterly was coming in onto the beach causing small waves, the sky was over-cast with a hint of rain, and there was a lot of activity going on.

With the help of parents and supporters our young sailors left the beach at 9 am and the Open fleet headed out to their course directly off Narrow Neck Beach, while the Green fleet went back to their patch towards the north. And of course the sailors were followed by an armada of approximately 80 inflatable support boats.

Before long the wind had picked up and a strong squall went through as the Open fleet sailed the first of their 14 race series. This was to be the first of many, on a day when the weather threw everything it had at the sailors. The wind peaked at gusts of around 22 knots, there were patches with 3 or 4 knots, horizontal rain, waves and, of course, the tide.

The Open fleet got three races in and the regatta is currently lead by Christopher Charlwood of Australia, second is Isaac McHardie of Tauranga/Hamilton, and third Alistair Young of Australia. A number of top contenders are suffering from an OCS (over the line at the start) so there’s a way to go yet before the competition is decided, and they’ll be hoping to get as many races in as possible after loosing the first day.

The Green fleet also managed to get two races away in the challenging conditions and came back to shore in the early afternoon to enjoy pasta the warmth and shelter of the club rooms. Henry Gibbs of QCYC is leading this division of the regatta, followed by Vaitea Delvallet and Romain Vigneron of Tahiti.