8:02 PM Wed 3 Mar 2010 GMT
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'Skipp Lissiman's Bandwagon - Commonwealth Bank 2009 Etchells Australian Championship'
Steve Hall
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The 2010 Western Australian Etchells Championships kick off this weekend on the Swan River with racing scheduled for March 6th and seventh and then the following weekend March 13th and 14th.
Competitors have been busy tuning their yachts and double checking their weight in the lead up to this hotly contested series that will see nearly 30 contenders doing battle over the two weekend regatta.
Defending 2009 Champion Skip Lissiman on Bandwagon will be looking to add another title to his already impressive trophy cabinet although so far he has had a quiet season in the lead up events.
Dirk van der Struyf on Liquidity who tied for first in the 2009 Championship only to be beaten on a countback will be eager to go one better this year and snatch the title. Van der Struyf recently won the Western Australian Metro Series over 10 races that completed in late February so brings good form into this years regatta.
Michael Manford on The Croc has 2009 World and National Flying Fifteen Champions Dean McAullay and Grant Alderson crewing for him and with Manford's renowned helming skills and the tactical skills of McAullay and Alderson they will be hard to beat.
Of course the evergreen Rob Bird and his talented crew on Moody Blues who have won multiple trophies will be at the front of the pack and all will be kept honest by Brad Sheridan, Gary Smith and a host of others who can win on any given day.
The forecast looks promising, let the racing begin
by Dirk van der Struyf
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Manly, QLD
