Day 2
Report.
Day 2 was
another fantastic clear sunny day and this time the Westerly gradient breeze won the battle against the sea
breeze. When racing finally started the condition were completely
different from Day 1 with 20 knot gusts and a steep & short wind
against tide chop. Race 1 in the Radial was an interesting race again and
ruined the 2006 Masters World Champ & most of the well placed Kiwi’s chance
of wining the Regatta after most of the top sailors followed New Zealand’s
Mark Page round the wing mark (rather than the top mark) and reached off into
oblivion. Most of the fleet followed along with the Standard Fleet which
started second but the tail of the fleet including the leader in the Radials,
Richard Bolt from NSW sailed the correct course and picked up his first
win. The Standard fleet had time to adjust and experienced some thrilling
blast reaching and running in the strong winds and steep chop. Some of the
Kiwi’s struggled in these Tamaki like conditions and some of the charter boats
took on a lot of water & Marcus Firth was unfortunate to have his hiking
strap & Traveller break forcing his retirement for the day. Next year
there is a plan to have new charter boats available.
In the 2nd races
of the day were held similar conditions with slightly stronger winds.
Australia Peter Conde revelled in the conditions and won both races in the
Standard Rig and New
Zealand’s Mark Page finally got it all together
and won the 2nd race with good downwind speed. Standings at the
end of Day 2 for the Kiwi Sailors:
Standard
Rig
R3 R4
4th Barry
Cutfield 6
11
8th Colin
Caldwell
9
8
11th Mike
Keeton
19 9
18th Ray
Beale
21 23
31th Marcus
Frith 31
DNS
Radial
Rig
10th Mike
Knowsley 22 10
12th Mike
Pasco
24
18
14st Mark
Page
DNF 1
24th Jim
Quinn
19
22
