3:06 AM Mon 11 Jan 2010 GMT
A briefing for competitors in the Murphy & Nye 2010 Australian Etchells Championship has just concluded at the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club.
Most of the 58 boat fleet will soon be out on the waters of Lake Macquarie sailing their official practice race. Racing begins in earnest on Tuesday 12th and tomorrow's predicted forecast is for 20-25 knots of breeze.
Currently the weather is overcast but the sun is attempting to shine through as the crews busily prepare their Etchells. The breeze is east north east at about seven to eight knots.
The list of 'talent' sailing this Championship is amazing and pre-event favourites must include John Bertrand, Tom Slingsby and Andrew Palfrey on Triad, Damien King, Simon Cunnington and Andy Butler on Barry and Lake Macquarie's own Peter McNeil with Dean Williams and Wade Morgan on Absolute Pearler.
But with America's Cup sailors, Olympians, World Champions and Club sailors from across Australia and as far afield as Hong Kong participating, today's practice is sure to be interesting.
Before leaving the dock Simon Cunnington from Barry commented, 'It's a practice race, so it's all about fun.'
However, Simon sees the competition as John Bertrand, Graeme Taylor (Magpie), Tom King (Iron Lotus) who he thought should been known as 'Old Gold', Peter McNeil, Mark Bulka (Perfect Balance) and Adam Beashel (Steam Packet 7).
Jake Gunther from The Boat felt that 'John Bertrand is the man' for this Championship. Jake went on to say 'the surprise could be Adam Beashel. Graeme Taylor and Grant Wharington will definitely be looking to get something back from their unfortunate summer. Everyone will be ensuring they are on the same side of the course as Peter McNeil because tactically he'll be showing us the way forward. If you're on the other side to him you'll be feeling very lonely.
'We are all expecting seabreezes so we have brought the flatter sails. If it goes soft we could all be feeling a little underdone.'
When asked about his status around the dock as favourite, John Bertrand from Triad said 'Favourites mean nothing! Anything can happen when you're out there with Mother Nature, around 60 boats and heaps of wind shifts.
'Ten teams could win this week. There are a lot of Olympic sailors here and Etchells are by far the best class in the nation - they are the Olympic class in the non-Olympic years.'
John was busy with all the usual pre-race preparations and will be watching the start of today's practice race from a powerboat.
A late scratching from the event is Alastair Gair's Velsheda.
Racing at the Murphy & Nye 2010 Australian Etchells Championship begins on Tuesday 12th January and concludes on Saturday 16th.
by John Curnow and Al Constable
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Manly, QLD
