January 6, 2015
2 minutes reading time
Newman Holds Musto Performance Skiff Worlds Lead
The second day of the ACO 5th Musto Performance Skiff Worlds started with discussions about the weather. There were 2 forecast, one said it's going to blow like a normal sea breeze, the other said it wasn't.
The second day of the ACO 5th Musto Performance Skiff Worlds started with discussions about the weather. There were 2 forecast, one said it’s going to blow like a normal sea breeze, the other said it wasn’t.
At the end of the day, both were right. It started with a +20 knots race, then a 9 knots race and then about 15 knots rising to 20 in the end. So a good day for the allround sailors. Ian Renilson from the UK seems to be a good all-rounder, he improved from 10th place to second overall. Jon Newman from Australia is still in the front and Paul Dijkstra from the Netherlands has confirmed his third place.
Race 1 started just on time as planned. The wind was high and Dave Poston (GBR) had a good lead at the windward mark and stormed off, only to capsize in the first gybe. James Lewis (AUS) didn’t had a good start, as he managed to break two trapeze lines and a tiller on the first beat. The wind dropped at the second lap and the sailing became easier, but with more windshifts. Under attack from Ben Clegg (GBR), Dijkstra and Richie Robinson (AUS) who were streaming down on a large gust, Newman took first followed by Renilson and Marcus Hamilton (AUS) third.
Race 2 started with the wind increasing up the first beat with the left paying. The race was turned around with John Reekie (GBR) gybe setting into stronger breeze to take the lead with the ever consistent Newman coming into second. Up the second beat Newman picked up a right shift in the middle of the course to take the lead which was never relinquished. With Thor Schoenhoff (AUS) in second and Renilson finishing third due to a Reekie OCS.
Race 3 was a lucky one for Dijkstra, because he bumped onto the pin end boat. He wanted to be at the pin and first out left but was getting too close and caused a general recall. The second start all the boats were clear, there were some dolphins trying to start as well. Sergei Samus (GBR), crossed everybody on port, went too far right and a big pack of left boats came in at the top. The breeze lightened on the downwind and made it tricky. Newman improved to second position with a couple of gybes past the big pack of Brett, Schoenhoff and Poston. Upwind some went left, some went right and made big gains. Renilson kept his lead and it was a close call to Schoenhoff, Newman then Dijkstra.