Day 4 Report. 

 Day 4 like, every other day here it seems, was another fantastic clear sunny day. This time the gentle sea breeze won the battle with winds between 3 and 6 knots for both of the races.  On the previous evening the Regatta Dinner was held in the “Upper Sanctum” of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron.  A great meal was served and at the fines session the Kiwis escaped reasonably lightly with fines for wining the Rugby and for Mike Keeton wearing shorts in their hollowed room!  Mike Keeton then entertained us with tales of sailing NZI Enterprise in the Southern Ocean to finish off a very good evening.

Day 4 was a good day for the Kiwis with Mike Keeton & Barry Cutfield 1^st & 2^nd in the Standard Rig first Race and Mike Knowsley, Mark Page & Mike Pasco battling at the front of the Radial fleet with the leader of the Radials, Richard Bott from NSW.  Mike Pasco crossed the finish line first but he had made the same mistake as Mark Page in the first race of the Regatta and crossed the start line first as well! Mike Knowsley for the Kiwis though won the race with Mark Page 3^rd.

The second race of the day and final race of the Regatta was sailed in the same conditions but with stronger tide.  In the Standard Fleet Mike Keeton had to finish at least one place in front Paul Stockley from Australia to complete is amazing late charge in the Regatta and get second overall.  Mike got a great start at the boat which was heavily favoured and lead around every mark until he misjudged the shortened finish line and headed for the wrong side of the boat.  By the time he had realised his mistake and gybed back Paul Stockley had sneaked down inside him and they finished 1^st & 2^nd but in the wrong order for Mike Keeton.  In the Radials Mike Knowsley was also making a late charge for the podium after he had started the day 4^th overall.  He sailed another great race and finished 3^rd just behind Mike Pasco and well ahead of the 2^nd & 3^rd placed Australians.  Former World Champion Colin Dibb from WA won the Standard fleet overall and new kid on the block Richard Bott from NSW won the Radials.  They both sailed a great Regatta with only one race out each out of the top ten not making the mistakes the rest of us mere mortals did. 

At the prize giving more free food was again provided and another good evening was enjoyed by all in the tropical evening spent boring each other about our “what ifs” and “if only”.  Kiwis picked up prizes and did well in a number of age groups most notable being Mike Knowsley 2^nd Overall, Jim Quinn 4^th Great Grand Master in the Radials, Mike Keeton 3^rd Overall  & Ray Beale 2^nd Grand Master in the Standard Rig.  The Regatta next year will be held between the 25^th and 28^th of July.  This year some of us camped onsite and had a great time as the facilities are world class.  Cheap Airfares & Accommodation, Fantastic hosts, Sun, Only 2 days off work, most of us will be back next year and hopefully with more Kiwis!

Final Standing for the Kiwi Sailors:

Standard Rig                                        R1         R2        R3        R4        R5        R6         R7        R8

3^rd Mike Keeton              Wakatere          6          15         19         9          2         1            1          2          3^rd Master

5^th Barry Cutfield            Whakatane        12         2          6          11         26       6            2          6          5^th Master

8^th Colin Caldwell            Pupuke              4          17         9          8          9         8            9          13         7^th Master                     

14^th  Ray Beale               Pupuke              8          13         21         23         14       11          14         15         2^nd Grand Master

Marcus Frith                  Manly                Retired

Radial Rig

2^nd Mike Knowsley           Manly                2          18         22         10        1          6           1          3          2^nd Apprentice Master

10^th Mike Pasco              Manly                1          13         24         18         16         2          dsq       2          5^th Apprentice Master

13^th Mark Page               Manly                ocs       3          dnf       1          2          8           3          dnf       7^th Apprentice Master

25^th Jim Quinn               Tamaki             16         22         19         22         26        19         16         19         4^th Great Grand Master