Wind 20+. Direction SSE.
Race 1 provided an exciting start to the regatta with 20+ knots and a short chop at the bottom mark providing many capsizes.
Scott McInerney turned on the after burner and lead the fleet around the top mark
Matt Mulder and Geoff Fisher finished first and second
Scott McInerney revelled in the hairy conditionsto finish third ahead of David Leask.
Class new comer Darren Nicholson was with the early leaders but suffered gear damage and retired
Wind 12-15. Direction SE.
After a challenging and windy first race, race 2 started in easy conditions.
Geoff Fisher established an early lead and finished with a commanding lead over Matt Mulder and David Leask with Alan Griffith fending off the next group in fourth.
The conditions eased gradually throughout the race but provided excellent racing conditions.
Wind 10-20 knots easing. Direction SSE
The fleet split early with the leaders trying to gain an advantage from the shifting breeze.
Geoff Fisher and David Leask fought the lead with Geoff gaining the advantage. The closest racing was occuring for 3rd place with Matt Mulder gaining the advantage over Ross Brennan who went for the wild card on the left side to pip Darren Nicholson.
Wind 10-11 knots easing to 7-10 knots. Direction SSE
The fleet split from the start with the right favoured.
David Leask lead at every mark defending his lead from Geoff Fisher in a hard fought final work to the finish in a lightening and shifting breeze.
Alan Griffith fought hard to maintain 3rd place with Darren Nicholson, Matt Mulder, and Ross Brennan splitting tacks all the way up the last work to find a gap to gain the minor place.
Wind 6 knots max. Direction East->North East
Presented with a shifty and light easterly breeze, the fleet was compressed from the mid to the bottom end of the start line.
Geoff Fisher tacked early to the right hand side of the course to come back with a clean set of heels to be first to the top mark.
A battle ensued with many boats fighting for clean air that resulted in a busy convergences on the windward mark.
Richard Kingsmill sailed a supurb first work in company with Pat Moore, Matt Mulder, Alan Griffith, Jeff Owen, and Ross Brennan.
David Leask fought hard to creep to fourth position in the final beat where Matt Mulder and Richard Kingsmill played the shifts to seize 3rd and 2nd place behind a supercharged Geoff Fisher.
Junior sailor Pat Moore sailed an exceptional race and to his credit finished well ahead of some very talented and experienced helms.
1st Matt, 2nd Geoff, 3rd Dave L.
Started race in the best breeze of the day. I started with clean air but was rolled a few minutes in by Trevor forcing to tack away. I lifted nicely and after the tack in on the lay line, I just managed to hold off Matty to the top mark. My brain then failed and I sailed away to what I thought was the mark in the wrong direction.
From here in it was a great race behind Matty and Geoff for the minor placings. David L and Alan G had a great tussle for 3rd and 4th for most of the race while I had to work hard to keep 5th - 10th which was very close away.
My final work everything worked and I managed to break away and on the line to pip Alan G for 4th place.
Wind 12-15 knots. Direction E/SE
A crowded boat start saw current series leader Geoff Fisher over early and forced to return.
Playing the shifts provided opportunities on both sides. Most went hard right with Matt Mulder leading at the first mark. Ross Brennan played shifts up the left and was fifth to the top mark.
By the bottom mark first lap, Mulder, Leask, Brennan, and Fisher were set to battle out the places. Matt
comfortable in front, the other three were close with Leask 3 boat lengths to Brennan, and 2 boat lengths
to Fisher. Brennan again looked to play shifts up the middle left while the others went hard right. The
result: Mulder, Leask, Fisher, Brennan.
Note: Shark followed for some time while he tacked up the course, he was reportedly anxious!
Wind 10-12 knots. Direction E/SE.
The sharks provided a good distraction during the start and a good incentive to not fall out.
The shifty and patchy conditions favoured an early tack from the start along the shore with a number of boats holding back at the boat end to get clear air.
Geoff Fisher crept away to lead around every mark closely followed by Matt Mulder, Daivd Leask, Alan Griffith, and Brett Holly tussled regularly for the minor placings.
The right hand side was the favoured course with the challenge being to pick when to break for the mark.
Wind 18-5-10 knots. Direction Easterly.
Something for everyone. Perhaps a precursor to Melbourne next year.
18 knots at the start with the usual suspects Geoff, Matt, Dave etc headed left. Away with the rain cloud and the breeze as well. Dave Harrision form north queensland around first with wild yahoo's from the gallery followed by Scott Munro, John McLean, and Matt Mulder. Positions remained the same at the bottom mark.
Up the next beat, Ross Brennan head left to find more pressure and a shift to cross the fleet and lead at the final top mark with Scott Munro hanging onto second and Matt 3rd.
With a finish at the bottom of the run, it was Ross first,Scott 2nd, and Matt 3rd.