Australian Championship – Race
4
Sydney Harbour. |
| By Frank Quealey, the Australian 18 Footers League. |
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Photos by the Australian
18 Footers League
Page edited By Peter Andrews. |
| Australia Day, Wednesday
January 26, 2011. |
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| Thurlow Fisher Lawyers took out today’s Race 4 of the Australian Championship on Sydney Harbour to clinch the title with one more race still to be sailed. Skippered by Michael Coxon and crewed by Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers trailed early, but grabbed the lead on the second windward leg and went on to take the victory by 15 seconds from arch rivals Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Scott Babbage on Gotta Love It 7. Third place went John Winning, Andrew Hay and Dave Gibson on Yandoo, which finished a further 1 minute 13 seconds back. |
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Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, during Race 4 of the Australian
Championship, part of the 2011 Australia Day Regatta on Sydney
Harbour.
Photo © The Australian
18 Footers League.
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| Thurlow Fisher Lawyers has an unbeatable points lead (after discarding her worst result) on 4 points, followed by Yandoo and Red Claw Wines (Matt Searle, Archie Massey and Mike McKenzie) on 11, Smeg (Nick Press) on 13,
defending champion Gotta Love It 7 on 14 and Project Racing (Andy Budgen) 15. |
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The start of Race 4 of the Australian Championship, part of the 2011 Australia
Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © The Australian
18 Footers League.
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Today’s race was also part of the Australia Day Regatta and produced extremely testing conditions for all teams. High temperature over the cool water produced a fog haze and the lack of a decent breeze didn’t help on a crowded Sydney Harbour.
A light (5-8 knots) North-East breeze then settled and after two general recalls the race finally got under way more than 40 minutes later than scheduled. It was a slow ride across from the start at Double Bay to the first tack off Bradleys Head where Kenwood-Rabbitohs narrowly led from Thurlow Fisher Lawyers. |
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Light conditions slow the 18 footer fleet, during Race 4 of the Australian
Championship, part of the 2011 Australia Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © The Australian
18 Footers League.
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Several skiffs, including Gotta Love It 7, Asko Appliances, Smeg and Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney) tacked early, and the fleet was soon spread across the course. Project Racing led a tightly bunched fleet at the first windward mark and continued to lead by 20 seconds at the bottom mark.
Thurlow Fisher Lawyers was in second place, followed by Appliancesonline.com.au (Jeremy Wilmot), Gotta Love It 7, Asko Appliances (John Harris), Red Claw Wines, Smeg and Yandoo. |
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The first spinnaker run, during Race 4 of the Australian Championship,
part of the 2011 Australia Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © The Australian
18 Footers League.
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On the next windward leg, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers overhauled Project Racing and from that point, her victory look assured as the team opened up a break of 1 minute 10 seconds at the bottom mark for the second time.
The last race of the championship will be sailed next Sunday, January 30, with the usual spectator ferry leaving Double Bay Wharf at 2.10pm. |
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Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney), during Race 4 of the Australian Championship, part of the 2011 Australia
Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © The Australian
18 Footers League.
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More information and photographs can be found at www.flying18s.com and www.18footers.com.au.
Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League
www.flying18s.com. |
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| Outimage and the
Australian 18 Footers League © 2011 |
