11:47 PM Fri 19 Mar 2010 GMT
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'K2 surfs towards the line - 2010 Farr 30 Nationals Day One'
Tom Spithill
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Racing got under way on Day One of the Farr 30 Nationals in pictureseque conditions off Palm Beach.
Race Officer Ted Anderson managed to get through four races with the eight competing boats enjoy some close racing within the fleet. Of the four races completed today there were three different heat winners.
Racing got underway after a short delay as the Race Committee waited for the sea breeze to settle in.
The first race saw 'K2' lead around the course getting a jump on the fleet and maintaining its lead to take a convincing win, with 'Optimumm' and 'GOA' placing second and third respectively.
The second race saw a lot of action on the start line with 'Asterix' & 'GOA' battling each other for the pin end of the starting line. Both boats ended up taking each other over the line early and 'Asterix' hit the pin end in the process, resulting in them been called back for an individual recall along with 'Goa'. Both boats returned to re start the race and 'GOA' immediately undertook their penalty turn.
'K2' again showed great boat speed and tactics to get their second win of the day. 'GOA' made an incredible comeback, coming all the way from last place and just getting past 'Italian Job' to take third place.
With the sea breeze now building to 16 knots, the third race got under way with an almost perfect start with all eight boats getting off the line evenly. 'GOA' found herself in a good position off the start line and was able to use her boat speed she found in the previous race to her advantage holding as she led the fleet around all of the course to take the win.
'K2' again found her self in a battle with 'Optimumm' & 'Italian Job'. It all came down to the last leg to the finish with 'K2' managing to hold off 'Optimumm' to take second and Optimumm slipped past 'Italian Job' to take third.
With the conditions still perfect the fleet got ready for a fourth and final race for the day at 1600hrs.
The trio of 'K2', 'Optimumm' and 'GOA', were all closely overlapped to one another off the start as they headed up the first work. The race saw many lead changes throughout the race and really showed what the Farr 30 class racing is all about, with spectacular close racing demonstrated across the fleet.
The final leg proved to be a thriller with 'Optimum' and 'K2' engaging in a match as they approached the finish line. 'Optimumm' became overlapped with 'K2' and took the opportunity to force 'K2' to sail a higher wind angle to
prevent them from rolling over the top of them and taking their wind.
Whilst all this was happening, 'GOA' was steamrolling towards the finish avoiding the battle happening between 'Optimumm' and 'K2'.'Optimumm' picked a perfect lay line to gybe back to the finish line and take the win, with 'K2' placing second holding off late charge from 'GOA' in third.
So after an exciting Day One of the Australian Championship the leader board shows a battle between the three states competing with three times Australian Champion Bruce Edddington 'K2', Victoria with a slender two point lead over current National and World Champion Guy Stenning and his 'Optimumm' crew, NSW. The Queenslander Chris Tyquin 'Goa' is a further two points back in third.
Four races are planned tomorrow with a simular forecast as today's conditions, with a building sea breeze due around lunch time tomorrow.
Provisional Results after Day One:
K2 Bruce Eddington 6 Points
Optimumm Guy Stening 8 Points
GOA Chris Tyquin 10 Points
Italian Job Lewis Perrin 19 Points
Synergy Alex Douglas 23 Points
Asterix Colin Loel 24 Points
Rumbo Clark Holbert 24 Points
Don't Tell Mumm Garry Hobson 30 Points
by Tom Spithill
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