Today was an anomaly weather wise, with the breeze more from the north than before. As a result, the RC moved to the alternate course more to the south, and further from the Townsville Sailing Club. We expected the sea breeze to shift build and shift the breeze to the right, but we were wrong. The left was the place to be once more, even on the alternate course.
Jeff Miller/Mike Martin lead at every mark, in a close race, with Alex Murray with her husband Iain Murray on the wire rounding the windward mark 2nd, and Towers/Johnson 3rd, Peter Hewswon 4th and Howard Hamlin/Cam Lewis 5th. Hamlin/Lewis were still 5th until the end of the 3rd beat, when they had pulled up to 3rd. They caught Miller/Martin within feet of of the finish line, for their second win. Miller/Martin, who had led at every mark, had to settle for second, with Towers 3rd.
This gives Hamlin/Lewis a nice lead , with 11 points, to Towers/Johnsons 21.7 and the Nicholson's 27.4. Miller/Martin are in 4th with 32 points, counting a ten place tally penalty in race 2.
Many top teams that went right on the first beat were not in great shape at the weather mark, including Bergstrom/Westerdahl, the Nicholsons, Rosen/Wenrup and others.
The first reach was broad, especially for the boats that went high to defend. Many teams had to gybe early to get down to the mark. Two streams of 505s converged on the gybe mark, with the port tack boats despearately looking for a way through the melee. It was easy to gain or lose 15 boats at that one mark!
Bergstrom retired from the race after crossing the finish line 11th; this may be due to a very crowded mark rounding situation. Rosen/Wenrup rounded the first mark 21st, and fought their way up to 6th at the finish. They had to retire yesterday when their mast broke at deck level, in what was really not a very strong breeze.
I promise to gate early and go left in the next race, regardless of wind direction or conditions!
Ali