Bertrand, Slingsby and Palfrey win 2010 Etchells Australian titles

Triad (Bertrand, Palfrey and Slingsby) rounds the mark. Image copyright John Curnow.

by Rob Kothe

Today Races 7 and 8 of The Murphy & Nye 2010 International Etchells Australian Championship were sailed from the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, NSW. Yesterday America's Cup sailor Adam Beashel had shone with two wins, so the pressure was on.

In a masterful display, John Bertrand, Tom Slingsby and Andrew Palfrey on Triad showed just how it should be done and this very talented trio showed it will be a strong force at the 2010 Etchells Worlds in Dublin.

Race 7 finally got away in breeze of about eight knots, with the sun threatening to break throught the cloud cover.

As in previous days, many competitors suffered a rush of blood resulting in a general recall.

The fleet settled and at the start Damien King (Barry) five from the pin, had a bad start and was squeezed out. He eventually found a clear lane and went right, crossing the right hand group of the fleet.

Ian Johnston (Bananas in Pyjamas) was well advanced, as was Julian Plante (North Star). John Bertrand (Triad) came from the right of the left hand group while yesterday's winner Adam Beashel (Steam Packet 7) was well to the right.

At the top mark for the first time it was Ian Johnston (Banana in Pyjamas) who led the fleet, with Bill Steele (Dragon Lady) second. King recovered from the bad start to be third, with John Bertrand (Triad) fourth. Nick Knezic (Count Boris Secret Rendezvous) was next, then Plante (North Star), Steve Gunther (Magic Buzz), Mark Thornburrow (Dream On (Racer x)), Glen Nattrass (Ganesh) and Tom Woods (Echo Beach). Graeme Taylor (Magpie) was back in eleventh.

Approaching the mark Taylor was fifth and coming in on the port lay line but could not find a hole, was forced to go round again and dropped back to eleventh. Beashel was buried, deep very deep, 42nd around the top mark.

On the first run down and on the beat John Bertrand (Triad) made some smart decisions, coming back up the middle of the course to take the lead. Julian Plante (North Star) took the same line and did equally well. Damien King (Barry) went further to the right up the beat and dropped from third down to seventh.

At the top mark once again Graeme Taylor came in on port and this time managed to find a space but hardly advanced in the fleet. Conditions dropped to five-six knots, with the sun shining, as the fleet approached the finish.

John Bertrand (Triad) retained his lead to win Race 7 from Ian Johnston (Bananas in Pyjamas) with the fast finishing Tom King (Iron Lotus) third. Julian Plante (North Star) was fourth, Bill Steele (Dragon Lady) fifth, then Brendan Garner (The Moe Szyslak Experience), Todd Wybom (Seven 50), Tom Woods (Echo Beach) and Mark Bulka (Perfect Balance).

Race 7 winner John Bertrand said 'It's all or nothing on the right. We played the shifts up the middle.'

The 'mover' in this race was certainly Mark Bulka (Perfect Balance) who was 45th at the top mark behind Beashel. He made up 15 places on the last beat, picked up a shift down the last run and moved up from 20th to tenth.

Bulka was quite pleased to be in the top ten finishers. 'It's a new boat, we don't quite had the rig quite right, but we are getting there' he said.

Race 8

The breeze was shifting, 170 through to 120, which delayed the start of Race 8.

PRO Ross Wilson and the Race Committee set the course at 140, with 1.5 nautical mile legs.

Tom King (Iron Lotus) started fast on the pin, Adam Beashel (Steam Packet 7) was mid line as was Graeme Taylor (Magpie). John Bertrand (Triad) started further up the line.

After the start Tom King kept going left to the Green Point quarry, while Ian Johnston (Bananas in Pyjamas) who started well up from the pin end, also kept that course.

As he did in Race 7, John Bertrand played the middle of the course. With perfect crew work by Bertrand, Tom Slingsby and Andrew Palfrey it was a very convincing display as Triad led into the top mark, ahead of Lindsay Kennedy (Addiction), Chris Pratt (La Vie Dansante), Jake Gunther (The Boat), Tom Braidwood (Fantazia), Tom King (Iron Lotus), Mark Langford (Critical Balance), Mark Bulka (Perfect Balance), Doug Flynn (Wobbegong), Glen Nattrass (Ganesh) and Peter McNeill (Absolute Pearler).

If Bertrand was to win this race, he and his crew would not have to sail tomorrow's Race 9, as his drop is currently a seventh.

Down the course Bertrand's white spinnaker continued to annoy the fleet. As Bertrand approached the bottom mark the course was changing to 120.


Fleet under spinnaker - Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championship. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.

At the top mark with one lap to go Bertrand was well ahead, 65 seconds in front of Kennedy, Pratt and Gunther, who had moved up by five places. Braidwood was fifth, then Damien King (Barry), Tom King, Langford, Bulka, Flynn, Nattrass and McNeill.

At the bottom mark turning to come up to the finish the lead had extended to 2 minutes and 5 seconds.

Bertrand has shown the Etchells fleet just why he is a champion and Tom Slingsby and Andrew Palfrey, both Olympians, are indeed talented crew.

Bertrand (Triad) sailed away with the race. Lindsay Kennedy (Addiction) was second, Tom King (Iron Lotus) third, Tom Braidwood (Fantazia) fourth with Chris Pratt (La Vie Dansante) fifth. Doug Flynn (Wobbegong) was next then Jake Gunther (The Boat) and Damien King (Barry).

Dockside John Bertrand commented 'There's terrific competition at these Australian titles.

'Today we were in harmony with Mother Nature. Or as they say we are in the zone and it worked out very well for us, we are very pleased with the results. To sail with Tom Slingsby as tactician and Andrew Palfrey ... just a fantastic crew. So little said on the boat, because the team works so well.

'Today it was really tricky, light and variable out there. We tended to sail the middle of the course. When you get into one corner or the other you have no choice, so it has to be pretty powerful reason to be there.

'We had no bias one way or the other, we just sailed the shifts with the breeze splitting between the headlands and it worked out well for us today.

'For me it is just a thrill to sail with these modern Olympians, they are both very much in tune with the wind and boat speed. We get on very well on the boat. When I am about to suggest a change, it's already happened.

'We are going to Ireland to the do the 2010 Etchells Worlds. You are only here for three score and ten so you give it your best shot and that is what we are going to do.

'A week after the Etchells Worlds in Dublin, Tommy has the Laser Worlds. We have promised Victor Kovelenko the Australian Sailing Team head Coach, to deliver Tommy safe and sound in good body and mind for that event, so he knows we won't be able to beat up on him too much in Ireland.'

Graeme Taylor (Magpie) smiled, 'Congratulations to John, Tom and Andrew. They certainly deserved to win. Now we have another battle tomorrow. So far we've had good boat speed and we've done some good things and we've made some costly mistakes, but we look forward to tomorrow.'

Damian King (Barry). 'After John and the guys, it's been so close for the rest of us. It will be tight again tomorrow.'

John Bertrand, Tom Slingsby and Andrew Palfrey (Triad) have won the Murphy & Nye 2010 Australian Etchells Championship with one race to spare.

Series Results [One Design ET] up to Race 8 (Drops = 1)
Place Boat Name From Skipper Series R8 R7 R6 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1

1 Triad RBYC John Bertrand 15 1 1 2 [7.0] 1 2 5 3
2 Barry SYC Damien King 43 9 6 9 6 3 5 [21.0] 5
3 Magpie MYC Graeme Taylor 46 14 [27.0] 3 2 4 4 13 6
4 Steam Packet 7 RPAYC Adam Beashel 54 19 [40.0] 1 1 2 1 20 10
5 Banana's in Pyjama's RBYC Ian Johnston 58 [28.0] 2 14 5 8 8 14 7
6 Iron Lotus RSYS Tom King 58 3 3 11 8 12 [17.0] 12 9
7 Perfect Balance RBYC Mark Bulka 64 10 10 6 14 15 [30.0] 1 8
8 North Star RPAYC Julian Plante 65 24 4 4 9 [27.0] 16 4 4
9 B Squared LMYC Gary Boyd 72 18 [38.0] 20 10 6 14 3 1
10 Fantazia LMYC Tom Braidwood 72 4 [23.0] 7 11 18 9 10 13
11 Why be flat LMYC Kane Sinclair 78 25 11 12 3 11 10 6 [25.0]
12 Absolute Pearler LMYC Peter McNeill 87 11 [30.0] 28.0G 15 5 3 2 23
13 Pedro II RBYC Kirwan Robb 103 13 12 16 13 10 [26.0] 22 17
14 Tusk RPYC Brad Sheridan 108 27 14 10 [31.0] 21 7 8 21
15 Tango RBYC Chris Hampton 113 [41.0] 37 8 19 17 11 9 12
16 Echo Beach LMYC Tom Woods 120 [35.0] 8 19 20 14 13 19 27
17 The Moe Szyslak Expe RGYC Brendan Gardner 126 23 7 [35.0] 4 28 15 27 22
18 Critical Balance LMYC Mark Langford 128 12 18 27 23 13 24 [29.0] 11
19 Addiction GH Lindsay Kennedy 129 2 19 22 28 25 22 11 [30.0]
20 Bushfire RSYS Jervis Tilly 129 15 [28.0] 13 26 22 20 17 16
21 The Boat RBYC Jake Gunther 140 8 41 15 16 9 12 [44.0] 39
22 Seven 50 LMYC Todd Wyborn 151 36 9 [43.0] 17 31 6 37 15
23 Odyssey RPAYC Peter (Billy) Merrin 158 29 21 5 [35.0] 20 18 32 33
24 Dream On (Racer x) RHKYC Mark Thornburrow 158 [37.0] 25 31 18 7 29 24 24
25 Wobbegong CYCA Doug Flynn 159 6 16 21 33 23 40 [49.0] 20
26 La Vie Dansante RSAYS Chris Pratt 162 5 33 25 [59.0F] 30 25 30 14
27 Magic Buzz RBYC Steve Gunther 163 31 29 [33.0] 27 19 23 15 19
28 Ganesh RSYS Glenn Nattress 171 7 17 32 37 34 [50.0] 16 28
29 The Nurse SYC Ross Lloyd 173 [46.0] 20 42 12 44 19 18 18
30 Alchemist RSYS Richard Hammond 183 21 13 [44.0] 40 26 31 23 29
31 Miramar RPAYC Mark Doyle 193 17 22 23 36 29 32 [55.0] 34
32 Cruise Control CSC Paul Minter 200 20 34 28 25 33 [37.0] 34 26
33 Chill Pill RFBYC Rob Bird 201 59.0C [59.0C] 40 29 24 21 26 2
34 Count Boris's Secret RBYC Nick Knezic 220 33 15 36 21 35 45 [47.0] 35
35 Ivy GSC John Denton 224 22 51 30 42 16 [52.0] 31 32
36 Vertigo LMYC Doug Williams 236 [52.0] 39 29 22 43 36 25 42
37 Two Speed RSYS Nigel Nattrass 239 [47.0] 43 18 39 38 27 43 31
38 Dragon Lady RPYC Bill Steele 246 42 5 [59.0Q] 48 32 35 28 56
39 Dutch Moth LMYC Aaron Hampo 248.5 49 [54.0] 26 30 37 28 38 40.5
40 Carabella IV RSYS Matthew Mc Cann 250.5 32 47 45 [47.0] 40 39 7 40.5
41 Rapscallion RQYS David Healey 254 34 35 37 32 [50.0] 44 36 36
42 Touch Pause Engage RSYS Michael Stovin-Bradf 258 44 [45.0] 17 38 39 43 40 37
43 Concubine RSAYS Jason Ward 276 50 [56.0] 41 24 36 41 33 51
44 Three Ring Circus MYC Trevor Martin 287 40 46 34 34 [59.0Q] 34 54 45
45 Resurgent LMYC Christopher Rabbidge 287 [55.0] 36 38 41 42 42 39 49
46 Tian Hou MYC Simon Ellis 290 16 31 46 59.0F 55 48 35 [59.0Q]
47 Jazasa RSYS Jan Muysken 298 26 48 39 51 45 46 [51.0] 43
48 License To Chill LMYC Bryce Johnson 299 39 32 49 44 46 51 [53.0] 38
49 Mens Shirts-Short Sk RBYC Peter Stubbings 307 45 42 51 45 [54.0] 38 42 44
50 Go With The flow LMYC Robert Griffits 310 43 24 [59.0R] 46 41 57 52 47
51 QRS RSYS Alistair Stone 313 [53.0] 26 50 49 47 47 48 46
52 Surprise RSYS Adrian Fisk 330 48 53 47 50 49 33 50 [53.0]
53 Back in Business RBYC John Coates 337 54 49 48 43 53 49 41 [54.0]
54 Predator GSC Greg Humphries 341 38 44 59.0C [59.0F] 51 53 46 50
55 Champagne Charlie CYCA Mike Thackray 351 30 52 52 52 [59.0F] 56 57 52
56 7 To 4 LMYC Bruce Cheek 366 56 50 53 53 52 54 [56.0] 48
57 Max Power LMYC Keith Ritchie 368 51 55 59.0C [59.0Q] 48 55 45 55
58 Mojo LMYC Ian Knight 413 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0V [59.0V]

Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championships