5 races completed today in shifty gusty winds. Starting with the wind from the west, the fleet go away to another clean start for race 5. McGain lead from start to finish, this time finishing before the second place went around the weather mark, Dave Morehead from Tasmania came in second, third was Sam Parker from NSW.
Race 6 saw much the same wind, as winds continued to swing over 40 degree’s on the course area. McGain again dominated with Mike Nelson in second and Sam Parker in third again.
Race 7 was a real challenge as the winds changed from West to South West during the second upwind. Some sailors were caught on the wrong side of the shift and places changed dramatically. McGain read the shift to win another race, this time it was Mike Nelson holding onto second with Tassie boy Steve Charles coming back from a bad start into third.
Race 8. The seabreeze finally filled into the course and gusting up to 30knots it was time to put the fleet to it’s first real test in the consistent wind. McGain stormed the first upwind taking a commanding lead, with Dave Morehead in second and Steve Charles also from Tassie in third. McGain showed his high wind skill by taking a convincing win, with Morehead back in second and Charles in third.
Race 9. Time for the wind to start shifting again. Nelson rounded the weather mark with a handy lead over McGain back in second and Steve Charles rounding in third. By the bottom mark McGain had the lead back, with Nelson rounding just in front of Steve Charles. The second upwind was challenging while the winds couldn’t decide which direction to blow from. McGain read the shifts well and rounded clear in front, while Nelson had trouble at the top mark, got passed by Steve Charles. By the finish McGain was gone, with Charles in second and the surprise was third place which went to Mark Trollope from NSW.
After 9 races, two drops.
1st Phil McGain- 7 points.
2nd Steve Charles- 20 points.
3rd Dave Morehead- 24 points.
4th Mike Nelson- 25 points.
5th Sam Parker- 28 points.
Anna Davis leads the womens fleet currently in 23rd place overall.
One more Day and winds predicted to continue to blow.
See onsite Cam at www.coastview.com.au/aufw03/index.html
