Rohan
Veal Streaks Away To Win Moth Worlds First Race
Local
Black Rock sailor, Rohan Veal (AUS), streaked
away to win the first race of the Moth World Championship
hosted by Black Rock Yacht Club on Port Phillip
Bay at Sail Melbourne today.
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Photo:
Sport the Library
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Veal,
who sails one of the revolutionary ‘foiler’
Moths, came home 2 mins 30 secs in front of his
nearest rival, Simon Payne (UK), the current Moth
European champion. Payne in turn beat his countryman
Adam May (UK) into second place by 3 mins 12 secs
in 10-12 knots of breeze that gusted to 15 at
times on a lumpy Port Phillip.
Onlookers
said racing was exciting; the foilers airborne
numerous times off the lumpy and choppy seas,
making for spectacular racing.
Veal
said this morning prior to racing that his biggest
threats in winds over 10 knots would be Payne
and May – and he was right on the knocker
there.
Les
Thorpe (AUS) who won the Australian Championship
just two days ago, and sails a conventional Moth,
finished in fourth place, but over six minutes
behind May. Next across the line was another foiler,
expatriate Australian Mark Robinson (SIN) in fifth.
The
Moth sailors continue their 10-race series on
Port Phillip Bay tomorrow, with the series set
to finish on January 8th. Five races constitute
the series, but no race drop comes into play until
at seven or eight races are sailed. Should nine
or ten races be sailed, then two drops come into
effect.
Full
results were not known at the time of going to
press as there were protests pending.
McLennan
leads Australian Sharpie Champs
Gary
McLennan/Ben Solly/Stewart Rose sailing Bowling
for Burgers (VIC) capitalised on their win of
yesterday in the Australian Sharpie Championships
winning Race 2 and finishing third in Race 3 today
to continue his lead at the Sail Melbourne event.
Conducted
by Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, winds were in the
15-20 knot range that veered from south-east to
south-west throughout the day and organisers got
two races away after having to abandon a heat
two days ago.
While
McLennan, from the host club, is favoured for
the title, Jason Heritage/James Davis/Sam Heritage
(SA) are giving him a good run and remain second
placed on Gingerbread Man after two more second
places today to be just one point behind the leader.
Alan
Tidy/Kevin Tidy/Sean Lawson (WA) sailing Beer
and Pizza remain third after a third and a fifth
today.
Heat
3 was won by Geoffrey McCloud/Mark Beaumont/Sam
Flint (SA) sailing Pig Out, putting them in fourth
place overall.
The
Sharpies have a seven race series for which will
continue tomorrow on a 12-15 nautical mile windward-leeward-triangle
course on Port Phillip.
Provisional
top five places after three races:
1
Bowling For Burgers (Gary McLennan/Ben Solly/Stewart
Rose) 5.00
2
Gingerbread Man (Jason Heritage/James Davis/Sam
Heritage) 6.00
3
Beer and Pizza (Alan Tidy/Kevin Tidy/Shaun Lawson)
12.00
4
Pig Out (Geoffrey McCloud/Mark Beaumont/Sam Flint
13.00
5
All Scoubed Out (Malcolm Higgins/Andrew Chisholm/David
Higgins) 25.00
For
full results go to the official Sail Melbourne
website: www.sailmelbourne.com.au
By
Di Pearson – Sail Melbourne – phone:
0410 792 131
