Bertrand, Slingsby and Palfrey - Winners of the Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championship. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.
by Rob Kothe
It's 27 years since Australia II skipper John Bertrand won the America's Cup but he still is a great helmsman and he knows how to assemble a champion team.
Yesterday John Bertrand, dual Laser World Champion Tom Slingsby and Star Class Olympian and world class coach Andrew Palfrey convincingly won the Murphy & Nye 2010 Australian Etchells Championship with a race to spare, signaling that Betrand and Co are likely to be the team to beat in the 2010 Etchells World Championship in Dublin Ireland.
Dockside Graeme Taylor (Magpie) who finished third on the podium commented 'In this regatta Bertrand, Slingsby and Palfrey were close to unstoppable; definitely a better combination than in Melbourne. (Britain's triple Olympic Gold medallist Ben Ainslie was calling tactics there, Tom Slingsby here).
'To get two firsts yesterday in very light and shifty conditions, you had to be close to God.'
A similar comment to that made by Taylor, from Damien King (Barry) who beat Bertrand and team in the 2009 Etchells World Championship in Melbourne finishing second overall.
'John Bertrand, Tom Slingsby and Andrew Palfrey were overall in another league. We think John's combination is better now with Tom as tactician rather than Ben Ainslie - they will be a real threat at the Worlds in Ireland.'
Andrew Palfrey, part of John Bertrand's winning Triad combination commented 'Tom (Slingsby) taught us a lot about succeeding in light puffy conditions this regatta.
'We still have decisions to make about sails before the Dublin Worlds. Here we've been sailing in one corner of the playing field, in very flat water. The kind of chop we could get in Ireland is much more akin to sailing in Melbourne.'
Today the battle for the minor podium places was on in earnest in Race 9, the last race of the Murphy & Nye 2010 Australian Etchells Championship, being sailed from the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club on Lake Macquarie, NSW.
After race eight, Graeme Taylor (Magpie) with crew Grant Wharington and Steve 'Mothy' Jarvin were three points adrift of Damien King (Barry), Simon Cunnington, Andy Butler and James Ware, who were holding down second place in the Championship.
Race 9 start line - Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championship. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.
For Race 9, PRO Ross Wilson set the course at 095, with legs approximately 1.5 nautical miles in length. The sun was shining and the start line was over on the Coal Point shoreline.
Graeme Taylor (GT) positioned Magpie a third of the way down the line from the Committee Boat and got badly boxed in at the start. By contrast his main rival for second place, Damien King (Barry) got a good start and led the left hand side of the fleet away.
The winners of the first leg came from the middle of the course and at the top mark for the first time it was Mark Langford on Critical Balance who rounded ahead of Mark Thornburrow (Dream On (Racer x)), Ian Johnston (Bananas in Pyjamas) and Tom Braidwood (Fantazia). Then came Jake Gunther (The Boat), Kirwan Robb (Pedro 11) and Damien King (Barry) who had dropped back through the fleet, then Jervis Tilley (Bushfire) and Julian Plante (North Star), John Bertrand (Triad) was around 15th, while Taylor (Magpie) was buried and very deep.
As the Etchells came down to the bottom mark for the first time, spinnakers flying, the breeze was holding at seven-eight knots.
At the bottom mark the first five places were unchanged. Tilley (Bushfire) had moved up two places while Plante (North Star) had moved from 13th up to eighth. Bertrand (Triad) moved from 15th to ninth.
Taylor (Magpie) coming up the beat for the second time went hard right crossing the fleet and made a huge gain. The leaders were coming up on the right hand shore. Taylor's rival Damien King (Barry) was back in 11th.
The manoeuvre paid for GT; he made up around 20 places. At the top mark for the second time Langford was still leading from Braidwood, who had moved from fourth to second. Thornburrow was third, Johnston fourth, Tilley fifth and Gunther sixth.
Damien King was seventh and just ahead of Graeme Taylor, who was not about to let his rival slip away. Plante and Brendan Garner (The Moe Szyslak Experience) completed the top ten.
Mark Langford (Critical Balance) led all the way to win Race 9 of the series. Mark Thornburrow (Dream on (Racer x)) finished second, ahead of Ian Jonhston (Bananas in Pyjamas), Tom Braidwood (Fantazia), Jervis Tilley (Bushfire), Julian Plante (North Star), Jake Gunther (The Boat) and Adam Beashel (Steam Packet 7).
Graeme Taylor just edged out rival Damien King (Barry) but it was not enough. King secured second place in the Championship, with Taylor finishing third.
Graeme Taylor commented 'We had a shocker up the first beat around 40th, so we decided to go right and there was good pressure and that brought us back into the competition. We are just happy to be able to mix it up with the fleet. We will keep batting.'
Spinnakers flying - Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championship. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.
Series Results [One Design ET] up to Race 9 (Drops = 1)
Place Sail No Boat Name From Skipper Sers Score Race 9 Race 8 Race 7 Race 6 Race 5 Race 4 Race 3 Race 2 Race 1
1 AUS1383 Triad RBYC John Bertrand 22.0 [59.0F] 1.0 1.0 2.0 7.0 1.0 2.0 5.0 3.0
2 AUS924 Barry SYC Damien King 53.0 10.0 9.0 6.0 9.0 6.0 3.0 5.0 [21.0] 5.0
3 AUS947 Magpie MYC Graeme Taylor 55.0 9.0 14.0 [27.0] 3.0 2.0 4.0 4.0 13.0 6.0
4 AUS1318 Banana's in Pyjama's RBYC Ian Johnston 61.0 3.0 [28.0] 2.0 14.0 5.0 8.0 8.0 14.0 7.0
5 AUS1374 Steam Packet 7 RPAYC Adam Beashel 62.0 8.0 19.0 [40.0] 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 20.0 10.0
6 AUS940 North Star RPAYC Julian Plante 71.0 6.0 24.0 4.0 4.0 9.0 [27.0] 16.0 4.0 4.0
7 AUS925 Iron Lotus RSYS Tom King 75.0 [32.0] 3.0 3.0 11.0 8.0 12.0 17.0 12.0 9.0
8 AUS867 Fantazia LMYC Tom Braidwood 76.0 4.0 4.0 [23.0] 7.0 11.0 18.0 9.0 10.0 13.0
9 AUS1387 Perfect Balance RBYC Mark Bulka 93.0 29.0 10.0 10.0 6.0 14.0 15.0 [30.0] 1.0 8.0
10 AUS1084 Why be flat LMYC Kane Sinclair 103.0 [30.0] 25.0 11.0 12.0 3.0 11.0 10.0 6.0 25.0
11 AUS1164 B Squared LMYC Gary Boyd 110.0 38.0 18.0 [38.0] 20.0 10.0 6.0 14.0 3.0 1.0
12 AUS832 Absolute Pearler LMYC Peter McNeil 117.0 [40.0] 11.0 30.0 28.0G 15.0 5.0 3.0 2.0 23.0
13 AUS1366 Pedro II RBYC Kirwan Robb 122.0 19.0 13.0 12.0 16.0 13.0 10.0 [26.0] 22.0 17.0
14 AUS866 Tusk RPYC Brad Sheridan 126.0 18.0 27.0 14.0 10.0 [31.0] 21.0 7.0 8.0 21.0
15 AUS1223 Tango RBYC Chris Hampton 128.0 15.0 [41.0] 37.0 8.0 19.0 17.0 11.0 9.0 12.0
16 AUS1338 Critical Balance LMYC Mark Langford 129.0 1.0 12.0 18.0 27.0 23.0 13.0 24.0 [29.0] 11.0
17 AUS1250 Bushfire RSYS Jervis Tilly 134.0 5.0 15.0 [28.0] 13.0 26.0 22.0 20.0 17.0 16.0
18 AUS1131 The Moe Szyslak Expe RGYC Brendan Gardner 137.0 11.0 23.0 7.0 [35.0] 4.0 28.0 15.0 27.0 22.0
19 AUS991 The Boat RBYC Jake Gunther 147.0 7.0 8.0 41.0 15.0 16.0 9.0 12.0 [44.0] 39.0
20 AUS1192 Echo Beach LMYC Tom Woods 155.0 [59.0F] 35.0 8.0 19.0 20.0 14.0 13.0 19.0 27.0
21 NZL1314 Addiction GH Lindsay Kennedy 159.0 [35.0] 2.0 19.0 22.0 28.0 25.0 22.0 11.0 30.0
22 HKG1269 Dream On (Racer x) RHKYC Mark Thornborough 160.0 2.0 [37.0] 25.0 31.0 18.0 7.0 29.0 24.0 24.0
23 AUS750 Seven 50 LMYC Todd Wyborn 168.0 17.0 36.0 9.0 [43.0] 17.0 31.0 6.0 37.0 15.0
24 AUS1165 Wobbegong CYCA Doug Flynn 181.0 22.0 6.0 16.0 21.0 33.0 23.0 40.0 [49.0] 20.0
25 AUS1254 Odyssey RPAYC Peter (Billy) Merrin 182.0 24.0 29.0 21.0 5.0 [35.0] 20.0 18.0 32.0 33.0
26 AUS1270 La Vie Dansante RSAYS Chris Pratt 183.0 21.0 5.0 33.0 25.0 [59.0F] 30.0 25.0 30.0 14.0
27 AUS1274 The Nurse SYC Ross Lloyd 186.0 13.0 [46.0] 20.0 42.0 12.0 44.0 19.0 18.0 18.0
28 AUS1288 Magic Buzz RBYC Steve Gunther 188.0 25.0 31.0 29.0 [33.0] 27.0 19.0 23.0 15.0 19.0
29 AUS1290 Ganesh RSYS Glenn Nattress 208.0 37.0 7.0 17.0 32.0 37.0 34.0 [50.0] 16.0 28.0
30 AUS1082 Alchemist RSYS Richard Hammond 222.0 39.0 21.0 13.0 [44.0] 40.0 26.0 31.0 23.0 29.0
31 AUS1253 Miramar RPAYC Mark Doyle 226.0 33.0 17.0 22.0 23.0 36.0 29.0 32.0 [55.0] 34.0
32 AUS994 Cruise Control CSC Paul Minter 237.0 [43.0] 20.0 34.0 28.0 25.0 33.0 37.0 34.0 26.0
33 AUS748 Ivy GSC John Denton 238.0 14.0 22.0 51.0 30.0 42.0 16.0 [52.0] 31.0 32.0
34 AUS872 Count Boris's Secret RBYC Nick Knezic 254.0 34.0 33.0 15.0 36.0 21.0 35.0 45.0 [47.0] 35.0
35 AUS1380 Two Speed RSYS Nigel Nattrass 255.0 16.0 [47.0] 43.0 18.0 39.0 38.0 27.0 43.0 31.0
36 AUS1049 Vertigo LMYC Doug Williams 264.0 28.0 [52.0] 39.0 29.0 22.0 43.0 36.0 25.0 42.0
37 AUS1213 Dutch Moth LMYC Aaron Hampo 268.5 20.0 49.0 [54.0] 26.0 30.0 37.0 28.0 38.0 40.5
38 AUS1186 Touch Pause Engage RSYS Michael Stovin-Bradf 270.0 12.0 44.0 [45.0] 17.0 38.0 39.0 43.0 40.0 37.0
39 AUS1150 Dragon Lady RPYC Bill Steele 272.0 41.0 42.0 5.0 41.0 48.0 32.0 35.0 28.0 [56.0]
40 AUS1367 Chill Pill RFBYC Rob Bird 279.0 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C [59.0Q] 29.0 24.0 21.0 26.0 2.0
41 AUS1144 Rapscallion RQYS David Healey 285.0 31.0 34.0 35.0 37.0 32.0 [50.0] 44.0 36.0 36.0
42 AUS1219 Carabella IV RSYS Matthew Mc Cann 297.5 [59.0F] 32.0 47.0 45.0 47.0 40.0 39.0 7.0 40.5
43 AUS1052 Resurgent LMYC Christopher Rabbidge 314.0 27.0 [55.0] 36.0 38.0 41.0 42.0 42.0 39.0 49.0
44 AUS813 Tian Hou MYC Simon Ellis 316.0 26.0 16.0 31.0 46.0 59.0F 55.0 48.0 35.0 [59.0Q]
45 AUS1385 Concubine RSAYS Jason Ward 326.0 51.0 50.0 [56.0] 40.0 24.0 36.0 41.0 33.0 51.0
46 AUS1336 Go With The flow LMYC Robert Griffits 333.0 23.0 43.0 24.0 [59.0R] 46.0 41.0 57.0 52.0 47.0
47 AUS852 Three Ring Circus MYC Trevor Martin 333.0 46.0 40.0 46.0 34.0 34.0 [59.0Q] 34.0 54.0 45.0
48 AUS1386 Jazasa RSYS Jan Muysken 342.0 44.0 26.0 48.0 39.0 51.0 45.0 46.0 [51.0] 43.0
49 AUS1191 License To Chill LMYC Bryce Johnson 348.0 49.0 39.0 32.0 49.0 44.0 46.0 51.0 [53.0] 38.0
50 AUS1135 QRS RSYS Alistair Stone 349.0 36.0 [53.0] 26.0 50.0 49.0 47.0 47.0 48.0 46.0
51 AUS1141 Mens Shirts-Short Sk RBYC Peter Stubbings 354.0 47.0 45.0 42.0 51.0 45.0 [54.0] 38.0 42.0 44.0
52 AUS961 Back in Business RBYC John Coates 382.0 45.0 54.0 49.0 48.0 43.0 53.0 49.0 41.0 [54.0]
53 AUS1128 Surprise RSYS Adrian Fisk 383.0 [59.0C] 48.0 53.0 47.0 50.0 49.0 33.0 50.0 53.0
54 AUS1029 Predator GSC Greg Humphries 391.0 50.0 38.0 44.0 59.0C [59.0F] 51.0 53.0 46.0 50.0
55 AUS767 Champagne Charlie CYCA Mike Thackray 399.0 48.0 30.0 52.0 52.0 52.0 [59.0F] 56.0 57.0 52.0
56 AUS724 7 To 4 LMYC Bruce Cheek 408.0 42.0 56.0 50.0 53.0 53.0 52.0 54.0 [56.0] 48.0
57 AUS1019 Max Power LMYC Keith Ritchie 427.0 59.0C 51.0 55.0 59.0C [59.0Q] 48.0 55.0 45.0 55.0
58 AUS1146 Mojo LMYC Ian Knight 472.0 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0C 59.0V [59.0V]
Murphy & Nye 2010 Etchells Australian Championships
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