Alistair Gair (NZL): winner. Image copyright Peter Duncan.
by Rob Kothe
A testing day of winter racing and the title fight went down to the wire. After 100 kilometres of tight One Design racing, the on water outcome could not have been closer, with the Championship being decided on countback after the conclusion of the last race of the day.
Today's win by Kiwi Alastair Gair, who won both races in heavy offshore conditions, means that this Etchells Winters event, which has been running for 14 consecutive years at Mooloolaba, has now had 14 different winners!
Dockside the four times New Zealand Champion Alastair Gair had a big smile. 'Wow that was tough. This was our fifth tilt at these titles, we won the last two races and still only won the series on a count back.'
'Conditions were pretty wild and we had to work hard to stay on our feet. We lost count of the lead changes between Dave and us in that last race and 100 metres from the finish we still thought Dave Clark would get second and win the regatta, then GT (Graeme Taylor) steamed into second place.
'Next year we expect Andrew Wills, the 2006 Etchells World Champion and current New Zealand Etchells Champion will be here, so the event will be even more Australasian.'
Race 5
As the Etchells headed down the Mooloolaba River and out to sea this morning, with building breeze skippers must have been wondering what the day would bring. After yesterday's perfect winter sailing conditions, today dawned cloudy and overcast, with strong conditions forecast.
Under clearing skies, in 20 knots of breeze with a one metre seaway the fleet was away.
The breeze had lifted to 24 knots as the fleet reached the top mark for the first time. First to round was David Clark (Fifteen), then Alastair Gair (Velsheda), Julian Plante (North Star), John Bertrand (The Stig), Mark Johnson (Roulette), Christopher Hampton (Tango), Tom Braidwood (Fantazia), Mark Bulka (Perfect Balance) and Graeme Taylor (Magpie).
The OCS and subsequent restart cost Mark Thornburrow dearly; he was third last at the top mark and likely sailing his drop.
In a building seaway at the bottom mark Alastair Gair had taken over the lead, John Bertrand was second. David Clark had dropped back to third, followed by Julian Plante and Mark Johnson.
Series leader Mark Thornburrow (Racer X) was forced to retire from the race with broken gear; certainly not a good day for the Hong Kong sailor.
New Zealand's Alastair Gair (Velsheda) surfed across the finish line to take the win.
John Bertrand (The Stig) followed soon there after. David Clark (Fifteen) was third then Jake Gunther (The Boat), Julian Plante (North Star), Mark Johnson (Roulette) and Graeme Taylor (Magpie).
At the end of Race 5, David Clark had taken the Overall Series lead with 11 points. Alastair Gair was second on 13 and third, after his retirement from the race, was Mark Thornburrow on 17 points. Mark Johnson was fourth on 19 points.
Race 6
The fleet started in 18-22 knots of wind. Mark Richards (Are We There Yet?) was on the pin end with Steve O'Rourke (Panther) next. Then fourth up was John Bertrand (The Stig), sixth was Mark Thornburrow (Racer X) who had managed to repair the damaged gear that forced his retirement from Race 5.
Alastair Gair (Velsheda) was next to Thornburrow. David Clark (Fifteen) started midway up the line.
As the fleet headed to the first mark more pressure was visible at the top of the course. Down the run the leaders were neck and neck. Series leader David Clark chose the left mark, Alastair Gair the right. There was nothing in it as they sailed up their respective sides of the course.
Third to round was Mark Bulka (Perfect Balance), Graeme Taylor (Magpie), Ian Johnson (Bananas in Pyjamas), John Bertrand (The Stig) and Mark Johnson (Roulette). Mark Thornburrow (Racer X) was back in 11th.
At the top mark for the second time, Gair had a two boat lengths lead over Clark with Bulka still third. Taylor held fourth with Bertrand, Mark Johnson and Ian Johnson all swapping places.
With the 2010 Musto Etchells Australasian Winter Championship title hanging in the balance, it was an exciting and very important beat to the finish.
Alastair Gair (Velsheda) withstood the pressure from Graeme Taylor (Magpie) to win the race, with David Clark (Fifteen) finishing third. Mark Bulka was fourth, John Bertand fifth and Mark Johnson sixth.
Alastair Gair and his Velsheda crew, Stuart McKinven, David Ridley and Derek Scott won the 2010 Musto Etchells Australasian Winter Championship on coun tback, from David Clark and his Fifteen crew, Sean Leonard and Andrew Smith. Mark Johnson (Roulette) and crew Nik Burfoot and Peter Conde finished third.
Clark, the 2010 NSW champion was philosophical 'A great series and an amazing last race. We were two points up at the final start but the Kiwis just kept coming at us. Our boat is 'Fifteen' and next year will be the fifteenth Mooloolaba Etchells Regatta - so we figure it will be our turn then!'
Mark Thornburrow - started the day at the top of the leader- board and fell back 'It was not to be, that over the line call dropped us to the back of the fleet, so we needed a great start in the final race, but it was not to be. Game Over. '
Third was Mark Johnson, the 2008 North American Champion. 'The competition was fierce out there; Gair and Clark were a notch about the rest of us today. This is our second year on the podium and our new combination, with Peter Conde coming back to the Etchells after a long break, worked very well. We have a second and a third in the last two years, so we are aiming higher for 2011.'
Graeme Taylor, the 2004 Mooloolaba Etchells Champion, who finished fifth, commented as his boat swung high on the crane. 'We did not realise what had happened when we pushed into second place in the final race. We were just trying to stay ahead of JB. (John Bertrand).'
Five times Australian Etchells Champion John Bertrand finished sixth. 'Another great Mooloolaba regatta and for me great preparation for the Worlds in Ireland.'
The final word from Gair, actually the final race is the best one to win - first across the line is first to get back into the river to use the lift out crane.
Results Musto Etchells Australasian Championship 2010
1 22 Alastair Gair, Stuart McKinven, David Ridley & Derek Scott Gulf Harbour 2 1 9 (13) 1 1 14
2 15 David Clark (M), Sean Leonard & Andrew Smith Sydney 3 3 2 (28) 3 3 14
3 04 Mark Johnson, Nikolas Burfoot & Peter Conde Sydney 6 (8) 6 3 6 6 27
4 51 Mark Thornburrow (M), Martin Mok, Gray Gibson & Simon Cook Hong Kong 1 2 4 10 (53\DNF) 11 28
5 55 Graeme Taylor, Steve Jarvin & Grant Wharington Mornington (18) 6 8 12 7 2 35
6 41 John Bertrand (M), James Chilman & Gary Van Lunteren Melbourne (53\BFD) 7 17 6 2 5 37
7 07 Julian Plante (M), Michael Dunstan & Nick Garland Pittwater 11 (19) 13 1 5 9 39
8 11 Gunther Jake, Tony McPhail & Stuart Skeggs Melbourne 7 20 (28) 5 4 8 44
9 43 Peter McNeill, Greg Torpy & David Gleadhill Lake Macquarie (24) 10 7 7 22 10 56
10 31 Ian Johnson (M), Tim Ede & Phil Smidmore Melbourne 14 17 (23) 8 12 7 58
11 08 Brendan Garner, Tim Clark & Michael Schilt Geelong (23) 5 3 22 13 16 59
12 09 Chris Hampton (M), Bucky Smith & Warwick Hill Melbourne 13 12 (22) 11 9 14 59
13 47 Mark Bulka, David Lorimer & Oliver Tweddell Melbourne (27) 22 11 16 11 4 64
14 35 Mark Richards & Gary Smith Pittwater 31 9 (34) 2 15 13 70
15 16 Richard Hammond (M), Roger Gain & Chris Allen Sydney 4 (33) 14 17 14 22 71
16 39 Lindsay Kennedy (M), Philip Pride & Trevor Swinburne Auckland 32 (34) 18 21 8 19 98
17 38 Stephen Gunther, John Collingwood & Christopher Maxted Melbourne 15 24 12 (42) 24 24 99
18 24 Noel Paterson (M), Sarah Board, Curtis Skinner & Paul Wyatt Brisbane 25 (29) 10 19 29 17 100
19 21 David Healey (M), Ashley Deeks, Timothy Robba & Rachael Pocock Brisbane 9 (32) 24 18 28 25 104
20 37 David Turton, David Biggar & Trent Rowell Mooloolaba 16 23 1 35 30 (53\DNF) 105
21 03 Peter Gardner (M), Richard Allanson & Stephen Barlow Sydney 20 39 19 15 16 (53\DNF) 109
22 48 Donald Wilson (M), Jason Browne & Brent Connor Gosford 37 18 16 14 26 (53\DNC) 111
23 36 Thomas Braidwood, Ayden Menzies, Ben Lamb & Ryan Menzies Pittwater (53\BFD) 13 35 4 10 53\OCS 115
24 26 Andrew York, Trevor Martin & Matthew Ramaley Mooloolaba (41) 16 26 30 25 18 115
25 45 Steve O'Rouke (M), Steven Backhouse & Burke Melia Cronulla 10 26 32 (45) 34 15 117
26 34 Tom Woods (M), Clyde Freeman & Keith Jensen Sydney (53\BFD) 14 31 32 17 23 117
27 19 John Savage, Glenn Ferguson & Gary Wilson Melbourne (53\BFD) 35 30 27 20 12 124
28 33 David Rose (M), Taylor Jane Rose & Todd Anderson Gold Coast 12 31 20 9 (53\DNF) 53\DNC 125
29 32 Doug Williams (M), Adrian Kiely & Darren Cooney Sydney 42 (45) 5 41 18 21 127
30 02 Mark Dagge (M), Matthew Hansen & Joshua Willis Brisbane 29 30 (51) 25 19 29 132
31 29 Simon Ellis (M), Gary Grey & Sutton Sa Mooloolaba 5 38 29 37 31 (53\DNF) 140
32 23 Gary Smith (M), Michael McAullay & Brad Sheridan Perth 33 4 21 31 (53\DNF) 53\DNC 142
33 30 Nigel Nattrass (M), Andrew Coates & Hugh Leicester Sydney 26 28 (52) 39 23 26 142
34 20 Gary Boyd (M), John Boyd & Anthony May Lake Macquarie 8 11 37 34 (53\DNF) 53\DNF 143
35 17 Ian Audsley (M), Graham Flatman & Jan Van Der Schalk Pittwater 17 (40) 36 20 39 31 143
36 52 Guyon Wilson (M), Paul Darcy & James Wilson Geelong 21 21 (42) 36 40 30 148
37 10 Jeff Rose (M), Craig McCallum & Craig Rainy Brisbane 19 15 15 47 (53\DNF) 53\DNC 149
38 28 Robert Hanna (M), Jake Newman & Stephen Peel Geelong 28 44 33 24 21 (53\DNF) 150
39 05 Jan Muysken, Steve Langton & Michael Stovin-Bradford Sydney 30 27 (46) 29 36 28 150
40 06 Douglas Flynn (M), David Baker & Calvin Gardner Sydney 34 25 27 33 37 (53\DNC) 156
41 01 Peter Coleman, Wayne Dixon & Iain Gartley Melbourne 43 42 (45) 40 27 20 172
42 25 Mark Sanders, Daniel Belcher & Scott McInally Gold Coast 36 37 (50) 38 35 27 173
43 18 Paul Minter (M), John Minter & Peter Edwards Pittwater 44 41 25 43 38 (53\DNF) 191
44 13 Glen Norton (M), Peter Rattray & Peter Wilkinson Melbourne 22 51 40 26 (53\DNF) 53\DNC 192
45 14 Greg Eddy (M), David Hall, Rodney Moore & Robert Topping Gosford 35 48 41 23 (53\DNC) 53\DNC 200
46 27 Bryce Johnson, Rodney Verstegen & Peter Johnson Sydney 38 50 44 44 32 (53\DNC) 208
47 50 Michael Hiatt (M), Jamie Bennet & Mathew Johns Melbourne (53\BFD) 36 38 48 33 53\DNC 208
48 40 Patrick Meehan, James Hallam & Brendan Sneddan Brisbane 39 43 47 50 41 (53\DNC) 220
49 46 Gregory Forgan-Smith (M), Bruce Pitt & John Willey Gold Coast 40 47 49 46 42 (53\DNC) 224
50 49 Charles Piggott, Warren Myles, Toby Pearce & Reece Baguley Melbourne 45 49 39 49 (53\DNF) 53\DNC 235
51 44 Nev Willis (M), Edward Tait & Ian Staples Brisbane 47 46 43 51 (53\DNF) 53\DNC 240
52 42 Chris Larsen (M), Neil Hudson & Mark Jamison 46 52 48 52 (53\DNF) 53\DNC 251
Musto Etchells Australian Winter Championships
