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7:46 PM Mon 16 Feb 2009 GMT
The Living Colour 505 Nationals got racing proper underway on Monday after the invitational race on Sunday.
Conditions started out as nothing less than beautiful - with a brisk 15 knot sou easterly and crisp sunny skies greeting the fleet as they sailed to the Sound, the body of water between the iconic Sydney Heads. These picturesque conditions didn't last however.
After Sunday's Invitational Race performance, brothers Sandy and Mal Higgins from Brighton & Seacliffe, sailing with Jordan Spencer and Nick "Camel" Johnson respectively were the two boats to beat. Both South Australians hail from the Brighton and Seacliffe Club and just finished one and two in the SA State Championships.
Adrian Finglas, returning to the class after a couple of years but with plenty of skill and a new crew was also clearly fast and knew which way to go.
In race one Mal and Camel took a punt on an early start and took the first shift across to lead the fleet to the top mark and were never under threat after that. However, behind them the tussle between Sandy and Sydney's Michael Quirk, sailing with Simon Reffold, was tight with Sandy getting the ascendancy in a late shift at the final top mark rounding.
This was followed by about a thousand knots of wind as a rain squall moved through subsequently flattened half the fleet.
But not Mal and Sandy, who finished with clean noses and a one and two respectively. Good boat handling saw Adrian Finglas sail through for third and the lighter weight pairing of Kevin Cameron and Matty Bowden from RQ in Queensland got fourth.
After the fleet took Shelter under Middle Head the next race got under way in apparently fresh conditions - but that turned out to be anywhere between nine and sixteen knots - making for lots of furious gear changes.
This Time it was Sandy who took the early start and with tremendous boat speed crossed the fleet and similarly to his brother in Race One, led away from the fleet. The right has also paid though and Adrian Finglas and WA match Racing legend Torvay Mirsky, crewed by Kyle Langford form the Royal Perth got to the top mark in good shape.
Another rain squall battered the fleet down the run but Sydney's Carter Jackson, sailing with David Page made it their own and moved to the top three. The shifty conditions and varying pressure lines saw the minor places change on every leg - but at the end Sandy finished nearly three minutes in front of Torvay, with Carter in third and the consistent Kevin Cameron fourth.
The leader board is clear at the top - but muddled further down as many fancied boats suffered disappointing capsizes and gear failures - making for some interesting racing in the days to come.
After the first day then - Sandy looks dominant in first with just three points. Torvay is second on seven points, third is Kevin Cameron on eight points and Finglas and Jackson are tied on nine points for fourth.
This event wouldnt be possible without the support of our sponsors and Partners: Living Colour Landscapes, Gill Clothing, Lewmar, Ullman Sails and Halcyon Daze Web Design.
by Event Media
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Sailing
