Wing Sail roto para Charlie Mc Kee
Fuente info Sailworld
Zhik Moth Worlds 2011 Final Series - Crashes and comebacks
Zhik Moth Worlds 2011 - Final Series day 1, Belmont, Lake Macquarie NSW.
24 knot gusts pumped down the race course for a full day of racing at the 2011 Zhik Moth Worlds’ first day of the Final Series.
Rarely dropping below a healthy 18 knot East by Northeasterly, sailors across the fleet had their share of stacks, crashes and comebacks that has opened up the scorecard.
Outteridge was hot out the starting gate in Race 1, holding a sizable lead over a contentious second place held by Brad Funk (USA) and Scott Babbage (AUS). Funk spilled, and with record speed Babbage launched ahead of Outteridge in the final lap, ultimately losing it in a bad rounding. Outteridge sailed in for the win. Funk and Kiwi favourite Peter Burling faced a swim-a-thon, Funk losing a Port-Starboard battle with Harris, and Burling started his swims at the gun. Joe Turner (AUS), Bora Gulari (USA) and John Harris (AUS) had serious pace around the course which they carried into Race 2.
Gulari sizzled up the first beat of Race 2, swapped leads with Outteridge and Harris, and was ultimately edged out by both, finishing half a second behind Harris for third. An unfortunate collision with another competitor sent Burling ashore with a ripped sail, while Outteridge took another bullet.
Back in action for Race 3, Burling sent a message to the fleet by taking an early command that he held into the finish. Tom Slingsby (AUS) fifth at the first mark, climbed through the fleet surfacing with a second, and Turner proved most consistent closing with a record of 3, 4, 3 (More consistent was Simon Payne (GBR) who had straight 22nd’s). And Outteridge? He was deep off the line, but he ripped through the fleet for a fourth.
The Wing-sail 'piloted' by Charlie McKee lit up the first leg of the course in seventh place when it exploded at the mark – and right in front of Moth Class photographer Thierry Martinez. Pit crew and Wing-engineer Rob Patterson (CAN) pulled hero moves racing in for a rig-swap to get McKee back on the line for Race 2 without a second to spare.
The ladies held it down finishing all races, with Emma Aspington (SWE) now leading the four-point spread.
Damage took its toll on Funk and Dalton Bergan (USA), Funk lost a rudder, Bergan a rig and now carries two DNFs.
Lochlin Byrne (AUS) leads silver, but it was standout James Phare (GBR) who won the day with a 2, 2, 1, and 15 year-old Jack Sherring finished with a fourth, now 12th overall.
Racers take a lay-day tomorrow – from the racing that is. Event sponsors SP-High Modulus will be busy providing carbon for the flurry of repairs.
More action to follow Thursday, with the Final Series to close on Friday the 14th of January.
2011 Zhik Moth Worlds Results --- Day 1 Final Series -- GOLD FLEET
Entries: 55 QS Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Overall
Sail No Skipper Code PlacePts Place Pts Place Pts Place Pts Pts Rank
1 3750 Outteridge Nathan AUS 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 7 1
2 3639 Turner Joe AUS 3 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 13 2
3 7 Babbage Scott AUS 4 4 2 2 8 8 6 6 20 3
4 3634 Harris John AUS 8 8 5 5 2 2 5 5 20 4
5 6 Gulari Bora USA 11 11 4 4 3 3 7 7 25 5
6 3786 Slingsby Tom AUS 7 7 10 10 9 9 2 2 28 6
7 3731 Gough Rob AUS 6 6 9 9 7 7 8 8 30 7
8 3769 Budgen Andrew GBR 13 13 6 6 6 6 10 10 35 8
9 3709 Jensen Iain AUS 5 5 7 7 16 16 9 9 37 9
10 4 Psarofaghis Arnaud SUI 12 12 8 8 5 5 13 13 38 10
