The 2015 Australian Open Match Racing at SoPYC
Being a poor mortal and having spent most of my allotted regatta time in the last few weeks, I was determined not to miss this last day of the 2015 Australian Open Match Racing at my home club SoPYC. So I took the day off and went down to the club.
Deciding to take a spot on the Start box balcony I was delighted to be joined by the Jerwood clan and we were joined over the day by other like minded people who were there to watch the last day. And exciting it was.
With the south westerly slowly building by midday RO Les Swinton had his team swinging the course around until the top mark was within 50 metres of the start box and the whole of the clubs front lawn was as good a viewing spot as could be asked for. Most of us were camped out on the fuel jetty (Jetty one) in the shade and the viewing was spectacular.
I'll only touch on two or three incidents that we as a group saw and one was the spectacular broach by Evan Walker early in the finals with Matt Jerwood. He went out to catch the gust coming down on the left of the down wind and was not able to control the spinnaker. Result ... a broach that took him into the path of the petit final combatants Sam Gilmour and Peter Nicholas . Every one avoided the other but the race was lost for Evan.
The next incident was a glorious luffing duel between Sam and Peter with Peter taking Sam up as far as he could then ducking for the line. Well done.
And the last was the use of jetty one by Matt to put Evan under pressure and incidentally right under the camera. Great in-boat shots. Incidentally Matt was carrying a penalty earned in the pre race and managed to rid himself of that while fending off Evan at the top mark. Great boat and crew work.
The last race of the finals was only a one lap affair, but it appears that Matt was so chuffed by his manoeuver at the top mark, he took Walker around again without either realizing that the race was won at the first lap.
Enjoy the pictures.
Deciding to take a spot on the Start box balcony I was delighted to be joined by the Jerwood clan and we were joined over the day by other like minded people who were there to watch the last day. And exciting it was.
With the south westerly slowly building by midday RO Les Swinton had his team swinging the course around until the top mark was within 50 metres of the start box and the whole of the clubs front lawn was as good a viewing spot as could be asked for. Most of us were camped out on the fuel jetty (Jetty one) in the shade and the viewing was spectacular.
I'll only touch on two or three incidents that we as a group saw and one was the spectacular broach by Evan Walker early in the finals with Matt Jerwood. He went out to catch the gust coming down on the left of the down wind and was not able to control the spinnaker. Result ... a broach that took him into the path of the petit final combatants Sam Gilmour and Peter Nicholas . Every one avoided the other but the race was lost for Evan.
The next incident was a glorious luffing duel between Sam and Peter with Peter taking Sam up as far as he could then ducking for the line. Well done.
And the last was the use of jetty one by Matt to put Evan under pressure and incidentally right under the camera. Great in-boat shots. Incidentally Matt was carrying a penalty earned in the pre race and managed to rid himself of that while fending off Evan at the top mark. Great boat and crew work.
The last race of the finals was only a one lap affair, but it appears that Matt was so chuffed by his manoeuver at the top mark, he took Walker around again without either realizing that the race was won at the first lap.
Enjoy the pictures.