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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.