The wind filled in late, but the race started on time in a trapezing breeze. The left paid well, as the windward mark leaders went either hard left or left initially and then right.
Jeff Miller/Mike Martin gated early, tacked and ducked Howard Hamlin/Cam Lewis, and never went behind another boat for the rest of the race. The teams that started late in the gate struggled to get back into the race.
The first ten boats made it past the gybe mark, but then a huge hole formed, slowing the rest of the fleet and letting the leaders get away. The rest of the fleet tried to round the gybe mark together in no wind, with the usual results.....
Jeff Miller/Mike Martin won, Howard Hamlin/Cam Lewis were second, Ebbe Rosen/Olle Wenrup 3rd, Greg Searant/Kane Sinclair 4th, Bergstrom/Westerdahl 5th, Nicholsons were 6th, Malcolm Higgins with Class President Pip Pearson 7th.
A ship steamed the race course near the top of the third beat, which gave the leaders something to consider - attempt to cross ahead, or tack away. Bergstrom/Westerdahl chose to cross and gained by doing so, though attracting considerable attention from the vessel's captain in so doing!
Ali Meller