FIRST DAY RESULTS - UPDATED - 22nd September 2007
The Australian Women’s Match Racing saw racing become closer and more tightly contested as the day progressed on day 1 of the Championships on Port Phillip Bay on Saturday. As the visiting teams became more familiar with the boats and conditions on the Bay, racing became more exiting for the spectators out on the water.
Racing commenced in a moderate south easterly and through the afternoon built and swung to a 15 knot sou’wester and gave the Race Committee good conditions to complete Round Robin 1. The competitors experienced typical Melbourne crisp and chilly spring weather. The prediction of north to north westerly winds at 15-17 knots for dy 2 should see close racing continue.
Nicky Souter and Katie Spithill set the pace early and were the leading teams of the day with Souter narrowly beating Spithill in a resail of their match in Flight 2 following a decision by the Race Committee to resail two matches due to two different interpretations of the Sailing Instructions. This gave Souter five wins for the day and 1st place at the end of round robin 1. Souters team is strengthened by Australian Sailing Team member and Sandringham member, Krystal Weir along with Stacey Jackson, Anne Durham and Rayshele Martin.
The Sandringham team skippered by Kate Aulich showed steady improvement all day against strong opposition and finished the day with one win. This event is Kate’s first match racing regatta as skipper and her new team of Megan Aulich, Caroline Theodore, Catherine Lynch and Cassie Steers settled into racing and worked well together.
Standings at the end of the day after one complete round robin see Souter, (Wild Oats) 5-0, Spithill (RPAYC) 4-1, Scrivenor (CYCA) 3-2, Boyd (CYCA) 2-3, Aulich (SYC) 1-4, Ward (CYCA) 0-5.
Click here to download the race results for Day 1.
PAM SCRIVENOR
