| Glen Stanaway 24/10/2005
18 foot skiff veteran Michael Carter won the Sydney
Flying Squadron’s championship race on the weekend
by demonstrating great tenacity in demanding conditions.
The light breezes on the afternoon led to a grafting
war of attrition rather than the usual explosive action
one has come to expect from the 18 footers. Each of
the teams tried to get the most from the conditions
and it was a credit to Carter’s determination
that he stayed with the leaders, only managing to take
the lead on the last leg of the course.
With the light winds forecasted the race committee
chose to shorten the course on Sydney Harbour which
caused mixed reactions amongst the skippers. Whilst
many agreed that it was a sensible decision, Carter
was initially against the call.
Synergy traded places with Avaya, Wentworth Courier
/ Sydney Times and Sydney Star for the most part of
the race. Avaya skippered by a young Michael Rynan struck
difficulties with the spinnaker getting caught in the
rigging. Avaya lost possibly 10 minutes on the leaders
in this single incident which saw Rynan drop back to
mid fleet.
Sydney Star also fell off the lead group half way through
the race with an error with the spinnaker however showed
good speed in the light airs to almost catch the two
leaders by the finish. Michael Boyd has had considerable
difficulties with this during the competition so far
and a clean weekend free of errors should see him seriously
threaten for the winners circle.
With these two having fallen away from the lead group
it was Ian Pretty’s Wentworth Courier / Sydney
Times and Synergy to battle it out for the lead. Carter
just stuck to the simple principle of staying in clean
air and minimizing tacks and gybes to keep the speed
up as high as possible.
Other performers included veteran Adrian Dunphy who
sailed the well known Ella Bache into fourth place.
Ella Bache held off challenges from Frame Group and
ING who made up the middle of the fleet.
Spanish Olympic sailing coach Lea Sitja on Intercall
initially struggled with the light conditions and was
placed well back. However eventually Sitja grafted his
way forward through the back markers and is showing
improvement and great promise for the upcoming weeks.
Unfortunately Richard Scarr’s Dinghy Solutions
broke its forestay whilst rigging and was unable to
start the race. Minor damage was sustained but after
affecting repairs in the afternoon, Scarr was able to
compete in the Australian 18 footer League’s race
instead.
In other racing at the Sydney Flying Squadron, Ed Blackman’s
International 14foot skiff held off champion 12 foot
skiffs to take the overall win in the Garde Sprint Series
held on the weekend. Nick Press and Jon Temple are State
and Interdominion champions respectively but were unable
to rein in a rampant Blackman who enjoyed the light
breezes.
Glen Stanaway
Sydney Flying Squadron 18 Foot Skiffs
1. Synergy! (Michael Carter)
2. Wentworth Courier / Sydney Times (Ian Pretty)
3. Sydney Star (Michael Boyd)
4. Ella Bache (Adrian Dunphy)
5. Frame Group (Craig Doran)
6. ING (Chris Kameen)
7. Avaya (Michael Rynan)
8. Intercall (Lea Sitja)
9. Macquarie Bank (Michael McKensey)
10. Sign-a-Rama (Scott Merrington)
11. Dinghy Solutions (Richard Scarr, did not start)
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