Yachting Australia

Big breeze brings the best out of the sailors at the 2012 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championships

Sam Treharne continued his winning streak in the Techno 293 fleet, with the New South Wales sailor adding another two wins to his tally, making it seven wins from eight starts.

 

Treharne takes a 17 point lead over West Australian Paris Stowell into the final day, with Ashley Heyworth one point further back in third.

 

“Today was a great day, it was so much fun out there,” said Treharne. “The breeze was up which was great and even between races we were having fun, jumping waves and gybing.

 

“The racing wasn’t easy though, Ashley Heyworth is putting up a really good fight and was very quick today,” he said. “He picked the lay-lines right in both of the races but I managed to get around him on the downwind.”

 

Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland have extended their lead at the front of the Hobie 16 fleet to 10 points after a third and a first from Monday’s two races.

 

Darmanin and Copeland now lead Paddy Gilbert and Harrison West who finished the day with a fourth and a third, with Danish pair Daniel and Nicolaj Bjornholt three points further back in third.

 

In the Laser 4.7 class Jack Felsenthal continues to be the sailor to beat with another two race wins, giving the Victorian a 19 point lead over Benjamin Knoop with Jock Calvert just behind in third.

 

Anna Philip is the leading female sailor in fifth overall.

 

“Today was a good day with two firsts,” said Felsenthal. “The conditions were great with the breeze up and down and testing everybody. The racing was really close at the front but I’m happy with how it’s all going and will try for more of the same tomorrow.”

 

Mark Spearman has closed the gap on New Zealand’s Andrew McKenzie to just one point in the Laser Radial class following a consistent day on the water.

 

Spearman, from Western Australia, finished with a second and a third ensuring there’s plenty to play for on the final day, with Matthew Kempkers just six points adrift in third overall.

 

“A second and a third today allowed me to close right in on Andrew with just one point in it now,” said Spearman. “Tomorrow I’ll have to focus on him but I’ve been consistent all week so my drop is really small which helps.

 

“It was much windier today and I made a few mistakes including hitting the mark and having to do turns while I was in the lead but I managed to fight my way back to the front,” he said.

 

Madison Kennedy continues to be the leading female sailor in the Laser Radial fleet in 14^th place, three ahead of Louise Evans.

 

The 29er fleet continues to be very tight with Tom Siganto and Joel Turner winning both of the day’s races to take a five point lead into the final two races.

 

Tess Lloyd and Lewis Duncan went into the day with a share of the lead, finishing with a third and a fourth, but will be hot on the heels of Siganto and Turner on the last day.

 

“Today was a tricky day, the wind was stronger and we managed to do alright, the only problem was that the guys who were tied with us at the start of the day did better,” said Lloyd. “It’s supposed to be a bit lighter tomorrow which is our strength so we’ll go out and keep an eye on the boat that we need to and keep pushing.”

 

Singapore’s Darren Choy and Nathan Tang take a slender one point lead over Carrie Smith and Ella Clark into the final two 420 fleet races.

 

Both crews were incredibly consistent on day three with Choy and Tang finishing with a first and a third while Smith and Clark picked up two seconds.

 

Smith and Clark have a 19 point lead over third place with Lachlan Gilmour and Thomas Blaauw, and Tom Klemens and James Oliver tied on 39 points.

 

Racing continues at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron on Tuesday with all six fleets due to complete two races to finish off the regatta.

 

Full results, event news, live tracking and event blog can be found at www.youthchamps.org.au.