Day one of the Melges 24 National titles at Sail Port Stephens

10:00 AM Fri 24 Apr 2009 GMT

'Melges 24 racing' Andrea Francolini / Skandia Click Here to view large photo

A small fleet of Melges 24's representing QLD, NSW, VIC and WA are racing in the National titles at Sail Port Stephens.

The boats left the dock at Nelson Bay full of excitement and anticipation eager to get out onto Salamander Bay for the first race of their second National Titles on Friday.

Racing off Soldiers Point was delayed an hour due to the light conditions.

John Hall's Anarchy AUS 668 was first around the top mark and looked like extending their lead until the fleet split.

Heath Walters, skippering No Comment AUS 746 and the new young guns from Queensland, Warrick Heath skippering Business Time AUS 206 tussled for the lead, almost allowing current Australian Sportsboat Champion Geoff Masters' Mako Melges AUS 762 through.

No Comment finally secured the win, half a boat length ahead, Business Time followed, with Mako Melges in third place.

The second race started at 2.15pm with Warrick Heath's USA 206 Business Time making their mark on the regatta by taking a strong lead from the beginning.

In the first downwind run and about four boat lengths in front, they ran out of wind and eventually dropped the spinnaker.

Tense moments for Business Time as the second boat skippered by last year's Nationals Champion Heath Townsend on What Tha AUS 558 managed to hold a line of breeze and make up the distance.

To their credit, the young crew on Business Time made the mark first, closely followed by What Tha before the breeze faded to nothing on the work and a shortened course was sounded.

Heath Townsend's What Tha and his crew won the race with the finish boat just making the line.
Business Time took second spot.

Some friendly banter and battles between Mako Melges and No Comment saw Mako Melges again in third place.

Day 1 Standing

1 Business Time Mark Moriarty RQYS 4 points
2 No Comment Mark Bernardinis RPAYC 5 points
3 What Tha Heath Townsend GBYC 6 points
4 Mako Melges Geoff Masters RPAYC 6 points
5 Anarchy John Hall SYC 9 points
6 Vitesse David Farrimond RGYC 12 points

by Event Media