Finally it was a beautiful sunny, not a cloud in the sky and the Peler wind died out early at about 10am. Things were looking good for a strong breeze to come in from the south.

Race 1

Started in about 12 to 15 knots and the breeze got stronger throughout. The boats that did well went left into lucky point led by AUS 375 (Craig/Paul), who rounded the top mark about 60 meters ahead. From this point the Melbourne boys were uncatchable but there was some movement around the rest of the top 8. Off the front the places were changing regularly with Team GBR and AUS having a right ding dong. AUS 375 had a shocking kite drop and headed out to the right hand side of the course, managing to slip back about 5 or 6 places taking several Poms with them. Aus 371 (Rick/Mickey) decided to go back to their old friend Lucky Point and managed to claw their way back to 2nd at the top mark of the second lap. AUS 375 were too fast to catch downwind but AUS 371 were able to jump into a couple of good gusts and clear away from the rest of the boats.

 

1st Craig & Paul
2nd Rick and Mickey
3rd Tim & Johnny

Race 2

Again delivered champagne Garda conditions with the breeze rising to a constant 15 to 18 knots and gusts.

A massive wind shift 20 seconds before the start shook the dice up for many positioning themselves for what they thought it was going to be a peachy start. Those who tacked right earliest came out smelling of roses as those nearer the pin end who tacked later got headed slightly as they went out right.

For those who went left into the cliff still got lifted and came out on port tack lifting up towards the direction of the windward mark only to sail into far less breeze as they watched those on the right reach into the windward mark at speed in pressure taking GBR 795, GBR 791, AUS 380, AUS 373 and FRA 773 down the tube never to be seen at the front again with all collecting their worst results of the regatta.

Coming out clear ahead at the windward mark was GBR 791 (Nick/Tom), AUS 793 (Bangers/Gracie), another AUS in third and GBR 784 (Steve/Simon) in fourth.

The first downwind saw wind lanes of different strengths for many but those at the front managed to pull out slightly more on the rest by staying long on the port gybe, and at the leeward mark again headed out right with little other options upwind.

GBR 796 kept it clean all the way round to win in distinctive style with AUS 793 in second, and an elated GBR 784 (Steve/Simon) crossing and closing out the podium. A race where the fleet were spread out by over a leg and resulting in a big shake up of the overall results

Ironically, tonight is the Raynes brothers "How I lost the worlds" party. Apt for many of those that went the wrong way on the first beat of race 2, resulting in many dropping out of the top 10.

Tomorrow it will be the Tim/Jonny – Anthill Mob show against the 2 Australians (AUS 375 and 371).

Thanks goes to the sponsors; Contender Sailcloth, Team Fantastica, Hamburg Sud, Seavolution, Trentino Provionce, WD40 and Zhik.

Results after Day 4:

 

PosSail NoHelm / Crew / ClubBoat NameR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8Pts
1 GBR 758 TIM HARRISON / JONATHAN RATCLIFFE / GURNARD SAILING CLUB   5 4 2 2 5 1 3 ‑9 22
2 AUS 371 RICK PLAIN / MIKE VINCENT / MH16SC BANG BANG 1 5 1 6 7 6 2 ‑8 28
3 AUS 375 CRAIG GARMSTON / PAUL NEWMAN / MCCRAE YACHT CLUB SNATCH 2 1 ‑13 1 13 8 1 4 30
4 AUS 793 GUY BANCROFT / DAVE GRACE / MCCRAE YACHT CLUB BONUS 4 2 6 ‑21 10 2 17 2 43
5 GBR 771 MIKE BEES / MARTIN WORTH / BRIGHTLINGSEA SAILING CLUB BLUE BADGE ‑11 8 9 5 8 10 5 7 52
6 AUS 780 RICHARD REYNOLDS / LISSA MCMILLAN / WOOLLAHRA SAILING CLUB THE NUDE 7 14 4 9 2 4 14 ‑19 54
7 GBR 796 NICK CRAIG / TOM PYGALL / FRENSHAM POND/WHITSTABLE Y.C./ HARKEN/SANDILINE (dnf) 9 3 16 1 22 4 1 56
8 FRA 773 CADRE ALAIN / FRANÇOIS CADRE / CLUB NAUTIQUE DE CASTELNAUDARY   3 6 15 4 4 ‑24 12 18 62
9 AUS 792 ADRIAN BESWICK / JONO LEBIS / LEVEN YACHT CLUB ROCKETSHIP 14 ‑17 12 14 3 11 7 14 75
10 GBR 791 MARK WATTS / CHRIS BISHOP / WESTON SAILING CLUB FLYING DONKEY 12 13 22 10 9 5 8 (dnf) 79
11 GBR 795 MARK BARNES / CHARLOTTE JONES / WHITSTABLE YC/EXE S.C. TEAM GUL/NORTH 9 10 18 12 16 3 13 ‑21 81
12 GBR 787 ALAN DAVIS / RICHARD BELL / WESTON SC TROUBLEGUM 18 3 16 18 15 ‑21 11 6 87
13 AUS 378 NICK DARLOW / MAX UNRUH / MCCRAE YACHT CLUB SIREN 10 21 ‑23 3 6 20 22 11 93
14 AUS 778 SOPHIE HUNT / ANDREW PAYNE / RSYS HUNT LEATHER 17 23 11 7 ‑24 14 16 5 93
15 AUS 373 IAN CUNNINGHAM / DAVID CUNNINGHAM / MCCRAE YACHT CLUB BONEWORK 8 12 19 13 11 9 21 ‑28 93
16 AUS 782 ANDRE WEBSTER / KATE FOURNEAUX / CANBERRA YC SPECTRE 13 18 5 ‑27 18 7 23 12 96
17 GBR 770 SIMON HADLEY / NIKKI HADLEY / WHITSTABLE YACHT CLUB   15 20 ‑26 8 14 15 24 17 113
18 GBR 786 GERALDINO FERMOR / LEAKY FERMOR / RYA TORQ IN 200 16 15 7 22 21 ‑28 26 16 123
19 GBR 769 DANIEL COWIN / OLI NEEDHAM / BURGHFIELD SAILING CLUB DADDY BOAT 20 11 ‑25 15 25 17 18 23 129
20 AUS 351 GLENN CARDWELL / DYLAN CARDWELL / ILLAWARRA YACHT CLUB THE BANDIT 26 ‑27 8 17 27 26 9 22 135
21 GBR 785 PETER KNIGHT KNIGHT / JANE REEVES / RESTRONGUET SC DEMELZA 6 7 (ocs) 19 17 18 dnf dnf 139
22 GBR 757 PIERS LAMEBERT / ALEX CAPON / BRIGHTLINGSEA SAILING CLUB MRS C 29 16 17 11 26 12 28 (dnf) 139
23 AUS 781 DAVID LOUTIT / MCCRAE YACHT CLUB SIDE EFFECTS 19 26 24 26 20 ‑29 15 10 140
24 GBR 762 CRISPIN TAILER / GUY HARVILL / SYC NA ANOTHER ABBO 21 ‑30 27 24 12 25 20 15 144
25 GBR 788 JOSH WILCE / WILLIAM HALL / RUTLAND SAILING CLUB B14‑ NORTH SAILS SEAVOLUTION‑ 24 29 28 25 23 ‑32 6 13 148
26 GBR 772 KATHY SHERRATT / DECLAN CLAMP / WESTON SAILING CLUB TRUNKY 28 22 14 20 ‑31 16 25 27 152
27 GBR 784 STEPHEN BARNES / SIMON REYNOLDS / WHITSTABLE YACHT CLUB NEIL PRYDE 25 25 ‑31 29 22 31 19 3 154
28 AUS 794 KELVIN BOYLE / STUART MCDONNELL / MCCRAE FLIPPER 23 31 ‑33 32 30 13 10 24 163
29 AUS 367 STEVE MILLER / LUCY REES / MIDWAY POINT YACHT CLUB PHANTOM 22 ‑33 20 28 19 19 33 25 166
30 GBR 764 TONY BLACKMORE / NAOMI POUND / STAR CROSS YC/BCYC FLOWER POWER VR SPORT.TV 32 24 10 23 (ufd) 27 29 29 174
31 GBR 783 HENRY WELLS WELLS / TINC TYLER / WEST MERSEA YACHT CLUB   (ufd) 19 21 dnf 29 33 31 20 189
32 AUS 355 STEPHEN MITCHELL / ADRIAN BELL / MIDWAY POINT YACHT CLUB BONDI TRAM 31 28 ‑32 30 28 30 32 30 209
33 GBR 7 CARL RAYNES / GUY RAYNES / WESTON CUSTOMISED COMPOSITES 33 34 29 31 33 23 30 (dnf) 213
34 GBR 768 JAMES GARDNER / HAYLING ISLAND PSB REPAIRS 30 32 30 (dnf) 32 34 27 31 216
35 AUS 368 GEOFF WALDON / JIM GAAL / WOOLLAHRA SAILING CLUB ORCA BLUSH 27 ‑35 34 33 34 35 34 26 223