Sail champs black flagged at Mooloolaba

   The Musto Australian Winter Etchells championship swung dramatically in favour of Sydney skipper Mark Johnson’s Roulette crew when race officers enforced the Black Flag rule in the third race off Mooloolaba Beach.
   As expected there were some anxious moments when the fleet of 54 high performance crews drifted around on an unusually calm Coral Sea for over four hours before race officials could set a course.
   They too were running out of time when the fleet broke the start on two occasions before officials hoisted the Black Flag invoking the disqualification rule against the line breakers.
   A conservative Mark Johnson and tactician Nik Burfoot were not prepared to gamble with Roulette. However, they started in clear wind while defending champion Graeme Taylor (Magpie), former champion Mark Bradford (Koni) and New Zealand’s Alastair Gair were the high profile casualties among the 13 crews judged to have broken the start.
   The split second error proved costly for skipper Alastair Gair and his Velsheda crew who after outthinking and outpacing the fleet to record a 2-1 on Day 1 slipped to 16th overall after former dual World Contender champion Peter Hollis aided by World champion Sunshine Coast sailor Bucky Smith and 2008 Australian 505 champion John Warlow handed the fleet a light wind sailing lesson in the fickle easterly breeze.
   Hollis was in fine touch sailing a safer middle line course to lead at the windward mark while his crew relentlessly attended to maintaining a fast shape in the sails which resulted in Heaven Can Wait drawing away for a comfortable win over the consistent Roulette.
   Skipper Mark Johnson and the Roulette crew understood that second was a good result and they made sure to sail free of any rule infringements to head the championship with a 5-3-2 to lead their New South Wales rival Fifteen (David Clark) while the Damien King helmed Barry led Queensland’s Funky Cold Medina (Vaughan Prentice) on count back for third.
   There were no favours requested or granted when the fleet lined up for what proved to be another cliff hanger over the tactically demanding course off Pt Cartwright.
   Naturally Mark Johnson had good reason to be happy with his results as he prepared to enter the battle as the pre final leader.
   “It’s far from over and I’m expecting to become the tactical target,” Johnson said.
   He had far too much respect for the class of competition, however, and the Roulette crew showed the class to tough it out and finish in the top five in all three races suggesting they were ready to weather the war on the water in final. 

/) /) /)

There’s none that can compare

Victorian skipper Damien King finally realised a career ambition when he steered Barry to win the prestigious Musto Australian Etchells Winter championship off Pt Cartwright, Mooloolaba, over the June Holiday weekend.
   The result was a fitting reward for skipper King and his Sandringham Yacht Club crew of James Ware, Simon Cunnington and Andrew Butler after they mastered a fickle weather system to finish all five races in the top 12 in what again proved to be highly competitive championship on a course described among the best tactical racing destinations in Australia.
   When Damien King steered Barry to a narrow win in the final heat off Mooloolaba Beach he became 13th different winner of the championship which was initially launched by dedicated members of the Mooloolaba Yacht Club Etchells fleet with the intention to add another signature event to the Sunshine Coast sporting calendar.
   That extreme dedication to host and manage a major international championship was again evident during the series, thanks to the support of a very loyal group of volunteers who willingly gave their time to promote the event and an important cash flow into the community.
   Event co-ordinator Tracey Johnstone and recently elected Commodore Bob Robertson plus the event team headed by the experienced race management officials Ross and Kevin Wilson, and long term local officials husband and wife Arthur & Val Hodge and Bob Sells laid the foundation for the successful regatta hosted for the first time from the Mooloolaba Wharf Tavern.
   The venue bought back distant memories for a number of the Etchells veterans who valued the experience of having a few drinks with their mates at local after the racing.
   They sail for the fellowship of the sport and there was a warm bond expressed in a friendly atmosphere during the post race celebrations at the Wharf Tavern.
   Collectively the 54 crews representing Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Australia, who have travelled vast distances to support class racing, unanimously approved the onshore facilities.
   One international sailor, who wished to remain anonymous because of his commercial interest in the sport, wrapped up the success of the event by saying, “There are very few sailing venues which can compare with Mooloolaba, it’s the whole deal besides being a popular tourist destination with a choice of good accommodation, restaurants and bars, it is also recognized as one of Australia’s best regatta venues.”
   Etchells crews have unanimously agreed to support the event with a number of interstate crews booking accommodation to compete in 2010.
   Meanwhile Damien King and his Barry crew remain as the Australian title benchmark, Mark Johnson who first ‘learnt the ropes’ on the Brisbane River is expected to return to race under the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron burgee with the Silver Medal winner Roulette while the talented New Zealand Gulf Harbour skipper Alastair Gair has plans to defend his Bronze Medal with Velsheda.
 

/) /) /)

A King is crowned

Victorian Damien King expressed exceptionally clever tactics when he and his Sandringham Yacht Club crew combined to claim an exciting win in the 2009 Musto Australian Etchells championship off Mooloolaba Beach.
   King and his talented crew of James Ware, Simon Cunnington and Andrew Butler, remained a title threat throughout the physically demanding and mentally torturing five-race series which was contested in unusually tricky winds.
   They produced a determined never-say-die attitude eventually producing their best result when they needed it most with a come from behind championship win in the final heat.
   However, the championship hung in the balance as the fleet lined up for the title deciding fifth race when Sydney skipper Mark Johnson’s Roulette held the upper hand with a consistent score of 5-3-2-6 to lead King’s Barry 7-2-12-2 by what was thought to be a title winning seven points.
   But Roulette’s winning chances were placed in damage control when skipper Mark Johnson and tactician Nik Burfoot were squeezed for safe sea room in a congested start.
   Unfortunately their championship challenge ended seconds into the race when Roulette was committed to execute penalty turns for a rule breach, while the Barry crew settled into a conservative pattern of sailing to keep the title chances alive.
   Sensibly Damien King elected to take no risks and strategically sailed a smart upwind beat against the unstable land breeze which was also spiced with 40 degree switches in direction.
   However, after finishing second to the Ross Lloyd skippered The Nurse in heat 4, the Barry crew remained in phase with sailing fast on the left side of the windward slog.
   This allowed them to be in the position to make small gains on each wind shift and was set to score a narrow but comfortable win before the soft westerly land breeze faded under a slightly stronger southerly wind.
   At that time the Barry crew were preparing to sail free of any drama but the crew had to hurriedly drop the spinnaker and hoist the headsail to eventually drift over the finish line seconds clear of the Mark Bradford helmed Roni to claim the Musto Australian Championship trophy by four points clear of Roulette with New Zealand skipper Alastair Gair filling third another six points off the pace.