13th
SMU-RM Western Circuit Sailing Regatta 2010
AY
Race Report 4
13th
SMU-RM Western Circuit Sailing Regatta 2010 |
What
a difference a day makes...
Racing comes to a conclusion next Saturday when the final rounds of short course races are completed. The IRC B, PY, Laser SB3, Moth and Catamaran classes are still wide open for the taking. Bring it on! More info, results and photos will be posted at: http://www.westerncircuit.com/ Check out AY
Race Report 6
at: http://asianyachting.com/news/WC10/6.htm This WCSR - AY Race Report is proudly sponsored by:
AsianYachting
Ventures Sdn. Bhd. (Co.
No. 627106-T) |
|||||
August
22nd: Despite the many weather
forecasts available these days, the sailors have come to the conclusion
that the best solution for local waters is "What you see is what
you get". Yesterdays dreary, wet and sufferable light conditions
were replaced with a warm, sunny, clear blue sky and a building 8 to 10
knot SSW breeze that saw the IRC A & B, PY and SB3 keelboat classes
away on the same short passage race as yesterday. Picking the best course
on the first windward beat ultimately set the pace and awarded the skippers
that chose the correct side with podium places. The Catamaran class combined
with the International Moth class to further their short windward/leeward
race program. The ten IOM remote-controlled yachts and eleven 
In
the IRC A class the skippers that went to the right hand side had to contend
with lighter pressure and were severely headed as they approached the
starboard outer marker for the Tanjong Pelepas channel. Going to the left
hand side paid better dividends but to far to the left saw many boats
over standing the mark and coming in on a fine reach. The three main protagonists
for the title chose different routes. Sarab Singh's Sydney 40MOD WINDSIKHER
went to the right, David Ross' Kerr
32 KUKUKERCHU went to the left but is was Steve Manning's
Beneteau First 44.7 WALA WALA that went straight up the middle
and rounded in first place. Three minutes latter KUKUKERCHU
rounded and a further minute adrift overall series leader WINDSIKHER
rounded back in third place. It was not until the long run home that WINDSIKHER
overhauled WALA WALA but the damage was already done. All the
time KUKUKERCHU was sitting
in the wings and stayed on the pace to take Race 5 handicap honours and
at the same time win the combined IRC A & B class SMU
President’s Cup on
their first attempt. Sarab Singh's WINDSIKHER was relegated to
second place and in doing so ended the run of four wins in a row but still
hold a healthy points lead in the overall stakes. Rick Overton / Kenn
Eyears Mumm 30 ROCK N ROLLA slotted into third place which further
relegated Steve Manning's WALA WALA down to fourth after such
a good start.
Over
in the IRC B class the close battle between three SMU teams continued
with Christopher Lim's J24 SHENGLI having a triple celebration
when they won the race, ended up in second place for the SMU President's
Cup and regained the overall lead by two points. After yesterdays win
Shaun Toh's Farr Platu 25 SMUmad had to settle on second spot
today despite taking line honours and have stepped down to second overall.
Following close on their heels Fidelis Tan's Farr Platu 25 sister ship
SMUve slotted into third place and based on these results can take
the third step on the podium.
After
some overnight adjustments to the arbitrary handicaps in the PY Class,
Dieter Trau's Jeanneau Sun Fizz WATERMELON came to the fore today
with the handicap honours. Leslie Fung's Hanse 315 TODAK 2 slotted
into second place and Trond Seljeseth's all varnished timber sloop ROSMARUS
managed to complete the course this time and take third place. Adriaan
Smit's X99 POWER PARTNERS have completely outclassed the opposition
in the earlier races but the handicap adjustments have left them in last
place today but they still hold a slender lead in the overall pointscore.
Three
more races for the Moth Class, saw James Cole's Bladerider BLITZ KRIEG
BOP post one first and two second places to stay on the top of the
leaderboard. After missing yesterdays races Mark Robinson's Mach 2 VIVA
LA VIDA rebounded with one second and two wins to close back in on
the overall lead. Paul Runyan's Mach 2 CALLALA and Will Berney's
Bladerider MOC DHOO 2 traded third and fourth places, but as
they did not compete on the first day of racing, have left the door open
for Nicholas Leo Francis ASSASIN that could only manage three
fifth places today to hold onto third overall but will have to be careful
as the others are rapidly closing in.
After
a dip in performance yesterday Guy Markham's Nacra 20 RED ROCKET
was back in full form to secure two wins and one third place to regain
the top step of the podium for the time being. Two second places and one
win may have reduced the defending champions Nicolas Gillier and Jeremy
Perrier's Viper F16 ISDOO down to second overall but they are
still firmly in the running for the title. Three third places for Uli
Braun's Taipan 4.9 808 and three fourth places for David Lee/Goh
Ah Soon's Taipan 4.9 282 leaves them tied on 24 points and fighting
it out for the third step on the podium.
As
the Laser SB3 class tackled the passage race, Fabrice Piard's ALIDADE
led the fleet for the entire race by a comfortable margin and stays on
top of the leaderboard. Second home for Bob Comstock's COMPASS RISING
has them tied on points for second overall with Wallace Cuthbertson's
GLASGOW KISS that could only manage fourth place today. Third
place for Chris Holmes on BANDIT has lifted their confidence
but leaves them in the middle of the table.
The
ten boats in the International One Metre (IOM) radio controlled class
completed another nine races today to bring the exciting series to a successful
conclusion. As the Day 1 leader Colin Ng was absent from today's racing
he left the way open for Ervin Scully to clinch the IOM title. A total
of nineteen fierce races were completed and the atmosphere was unusually
tense this year as the skippers frantically toggle the remote controls
to guide their boats around the course in the marina. Alex Sneesby ended
up in second overall and Lim Khoon Hin in third. Celebrations followed
as Champagne Mumm is sponsoring a bottle of there finest to all the overall
winners in each class.
A total of eleven 
The
SMU Provost, Professor Rajendra K Srivastava and Robert
Bird C.E.O. of Raffles Marina signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) that extends SMU's running of the regatta by three more years and
the use of Raffles Marina for the SMU Yacht Club to further their sailing
activities.
