VS 15 ft Skiffs - Young guns throw out challenge in day one action

8:48 PM Tue 5 Jan 2010 GMT

'VS 15 ft Skiff National Titles' Michael Turton Click Here to view large photo

Current national Champs Firestorm have been thrown a challenge by young guns Dynamic Route in day one action at the VS 15ft Skiff Nationals today. The Teralba ASC courses were short and the breezes shifty yet moderate allowing for some close finishes and interesting results, particularly at the front of the fleet where the 'unbeatable' Firestorm crew succumbed to a stellar race from Dynamic Route.

In race 1 today, Alex Vandervoort's crew of Jason Searle and Paige Botting on Dynamic Route made clever use of the shifts up the first beat to lead the race at the first mark and were never headed thereafter.

Meanwhile Firestorm, crewed by John Hodda, Dale Jacobson and Lindsay Austin fought their way back to second after their great start went pear shaped when the breeze shifted hard left half way up the first beat and left them, and other fancied rivals, stranded on the right lay line and well back in the fleet.

Wild Track, sailed by Lindsay Allen, Jacob Carstens and Meika Martin had a great result for third while Purple Headed Warrior finished fourth.

Just to prove race one was not a fluke, Dynamic Route backed up with a fine performance to come second in race two with Firestorm taking the bullet.

Hoddas crew on Firestorm were made to work hard for their win by the Young guns, who up until today had been inconsistent in form leading into the Nationals regatta.

Vandervoort said he had attempted to sail conservatively at the starts and tried to use the height they are able to crank out of their boat to climb into the new breeze. The strategy worked for the Dynamic team and once in a good spot at the first mark were able to take full advantage of their light crew weight to get away down wind.

The very experienced crew of Firestorm chipped away with flawless crew work and once in clear air were quick enough to post the equalising score in race 2. Hodda and his crew will be going for their third straight National crown at this regatta and looked solid today after winning the Sid Peare Invitational Sprints yesterday.

Wild Track finished fifth in race two and after their third in race one are a surprise arrival in the top 5 arena, meanwhile Add123 sailed by the VS stalwart Tim Dodds scored a fourth and a fifth to give them a good result for the day.

The nationals event is sailed over a week with 10 races scheduled, five of which will be short course and five long. The racing is taking place at Teralba Amateur Sailing Club at the Northern end of Lake Macquarie and will conclude on Sunday the 10th January.

www.vs.asn.au/

by Michael Turton

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