Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
by Paul Manning
After a postponment for the wind to settle, racing got underway at 15:55 at Black Rock Yacht Club on Port Phillip Bay. A fleet of 42 competitors from 7 nations have gathered fro the classes first World championships to be held outside Europe. With the fleet growing strongly in Australia, the home nation was expected to show towards the front.
Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Race 1
Following an abandoned start, racing commenced in a stable breeze at 180 degrees and 10knots.
The fleet was evenly split off the line and neither side appeared to gain, the leaders reaching the windward mark for the first rounding at exactly the same time headed by Bruce Keen GBR 441, Tom Wright GBR432, Matt Hollis GBR 356, Julian Ramm GER 443, and with the majority of the fleet chose to bear away set and headed towards the Black Rock shore.
Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Keen continued to lead on the second round, Daniel Henderson GBR 409 had pulling through to 2nd place closely followed by Jono Neat AUS440, Marcus Hamilton AUS 453 and Jonathon Newman AUS 425.
Keen led the fleet home followed by Henderson, Hamilton, Neate and Jonathon Newman.
Race 2
Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The breeze continued to be very settled at around 180 degrees and 10knots. PRO Mark Taylor flawlessly got race 2 off shortly after the completion of race 1.
Jonathon Newman AUS 425 led the fleet closely followed by Daniel Henderson GBR 409, Dan Ward GBR 286 and Jono Neate AUS 440. In the prevailing conditions the the fleet was again very closely bunched, with the top half rounding the windward mark for the first time within 45 seconds of each other.
Newman mastered the conditions to take the win from Henderson and Ward wrapped up the top 3 postions.
Race 3
Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The breeze continued to hold at 180 degrees, but dropped to around 7-8knots. The race was all about Iver Ahlmann GER 370 who dominated from start to finish. At the gun, the margin was some 200m from 2nd place Tim Hill AUS 424 with a consistant Daniel Henderson in 3rd place.
Overall standings after race 3
Daniel Henderson GBR 409 - 7 points
Jonathon Newman AUS 425 - 11 points
Marcus Hamilton AUS 453 - 13 points
Day 2
Race 4
Daniel Henderson (GBR 409). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The first, and as it turned out to be, only race of day 2 of the World Championships got under way in a warm Northerly breeze at 11:45.
A 1.1 Nm course was laid to suit a wind bearing of 025 at 17knots, and the race got away on the first attempt.
David Annan (GBR 169). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The majority of the fleet headed left initially and then crossed to the right hand side of the course for a starboard approach to the windward mark. Tom Wright GBR 432 and Richie Robertson AUS 380 were overlapped as the bore away, very closely followed by Bruce Keen GBR 441, Ian Renilson GBR 449 and Marcus Hamilton AUS 453.
Bruce Keen (GBR 441). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Alistair Kerr (GBR 374). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The breeze had started to build at this point to around 20knots and both Robertson and Wright were caught out on the very fast flat water downwind leg and neither recovered from their capsize.
Marcus Hamilton (AUS 453). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Marcus Hamilton (AUS 453). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Henderson was the first to gybe set and overtook all the boats coming in from the right by the leeward mark.
At the second windward rounding Keen had taken the lead followed by a very close group including Hamilton, Renilson, Henderson and Tim Hill AUS 424.
Matt Hosie (AUS 413). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Matt Hosie (AUS 413). Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The breeze increased again on the final downwind leg to the optimum conditions for the skiffs, leaving the spectator boats in their wakes as they jumped clear of the water at times well in excess of 20knots!
Bruce Keen skillfully hung on to take the win from a hard charging Hamilton, who was again very closely followed by Renilson.
Day 3
Race 5
Julian Ramm. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Following a short postponment, race 5 of the Broo Beer Musto Performance Skiff World Championships started at 11:05 with the breeze at between 010 and 020 and 10-12knots.
The majority of the fleet headed left initially, with a small group including Matt Hollis GBR 356, David Annan GBR 169 and overall event leader Daniel Henderson GBR 409 starting beside the committee boat and immediatley tacking right.
Brett Williams. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
At the windward mark first time around, Henderson had opened a good lead on the fleet and rounded clear from Mark Haine GBR 248 and David Annan with the rest of the leading pack very close behind.
Henderson held the lead at the final top mark, with Annan pulling through to 2nd and Julian Ramm GER 443 into 3rd.
Iver Ahlman. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
At the finish, Henderson had extended on the fleet to take a comfortable win from Ramm with Dan Ward GBR 286 pulling through to 3rd and Tim Hill AUS 424 just beating Annan to 4th.
Race 6
Close finish. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Following a general recall at 14:40, the wind shifted to 060 at 10knots the fleet got away at 15:05 under black flag. The was a noticeable even split between the port and starboard sides of the course on the first upwind leg, with the port side coming out in front.
Close finish. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
At the first windward mark Nigel Walbank GBR 394 led followed by Jonathon Newman AUS425, Matt Hosie AUS 413 and Bruce Keen 441.
The wind began to move further East to 080 and Dan Ward GBR 286 had taken the lead from Keen with Hamilton moving up to 3rd.
Catharina Gauda. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Catharina Gauda. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Dan Ward maintained his lead to take the win from Tom Wright GBR 432 and Marcus Hamilton securing second place.
Race 7
Fleet downwind. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
A initial general recall led to a black flag start as the breeze had settled at 090, and the fleet were too eager in the gradually increasing breeze...
At the leeward mark Tom Wright GBR 432 had taken hold of the race with Dave Poston GBR 324, Marcus Hamilton AUS 453 and Jono Neate AUS 440 close behind.
Julian Ramm. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The leaders all headed left up the final beat, with Daniel Henderson GBR 409 being the first to take the right side of the course. The breeze favoured the right, and Henderson gained to round 4th at the top mari for the final time.
Wright took a well deserved win and was followed home by Ian Renilson GBR 449 and Hamilton AUS 453.
Tim Hill. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
The drama had not finished here, as Daniel Henderson slipped mid gybe only 50m from the finish and capsized dropping a number of places from his 4th at that point.
Tomorrow is a lay day with many sailors going off to visit Melbourne or the local Nature reserve on a tour.
Racing will re-commence on Saturday at 11:00 local time.
Tom Wright. Image copyright Shane Baker/www.shanebaker.net
Current overall standings
Marcus Hamilton AUS 453
Daniel Henderson GBR 409
Jonathon Newman AUS 425
Broo Premium Lager Musto Performance Skiffs
