Current AUS Team Results:
1st - 49er
1st - 470 women
1st - 470 men
3rd - RS:X Women
3rd - Yngling
5th - Radial
17th - Finn
23rd - Laser

The Weather Today:
Wind: 4 to 9 knots
Temp: Min 24, Max 28 ‘C
Weather Website Link

470 Women’s Class Day Two – AUS 1st
The young Western Australian Team, Elise Rechichi and tessa Parkinson burts out of the blocks and into the lead today scoring a 4th and 1st today. The 2007 Olympic Test Event winners are looking just as comfortable in these conditions one year on. Now posting nine points, they have an eight point lead on their closest rivals Spain (17 points), while The Netherlands are third (18 points). Racing continues tomorrow.

“Our aim is to be consistent - we sailed conservatively, did nothing extreme and got ourselves into a good position,” said Rechichi.

“We had good boat speed and we just, from now on, want to maintain our rhythm and enjoy sailing in these conditions.

“It’s still early but it is nice to get an early win.”

Elise's Profile Tessa's Profile

470 Women Top 3
1 - AUS - 9 points
2 - ESP - 17 points
3 - NED - 18 points

From the AST newsletter:

Opening their regatta with fantastic form, the youngest members of the Australian sailing team, Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson from Perth scored two 2^nd places today which puts them in second place on equal points with the first placed Dutch Team with the Spanish in third with 9 points.

470 Women Top 3

1 – NED – 4 points

2 – AUS – 4 points

3 – ESP – 9 points

All done and dusted for the year.

1st Gordon Lucas
2nd Robert Gibbs
3rd Peter Nicholas
4th Jackson Digney
5th Tristan Brown
6th Doug Cooksey
7th Richard McPharlin
8th Ryan Hudson
=9th Simon Carroll
=9th Chris Pye
=11th Rees Howell
=11th Sandy Anderson

So experience shining through with individual ages more than the cummulative age of the youngest crew (not quite)! My personal stand out was Tristan, sure he crashed (three times I know of) and he had soccor parents, but he bought a level of game which I didn't expect for someone that young and from a dinghy background. He was one of the most tactically engaging sailors out there (mammoth tacking duels).

All the pictures from the racing are up, Day 1 and 2, and Day 3. Also have some video highlights from Day 1 and Day 2. All the blow-by-blows throughout the regatta are up in the forums.

I have to thank a few people for their help over the last few days,

• Stuart Robertson - took half the video and photos as well as pages of notes for the racing, was out there every day.
• Gerry Purcell - RPYC support boat driver who ran us all over the place every day
• Alan (Poly) Polglaze - took a heap of photos and provided our second chase boat over the weekend.
• Justin Kellegher - allowed us to run around in SPYC coaching boat on Friday.
• Ben King - helped with a heap of the commentary today
• Lisa Chamberlain - helped with photos and commentary over the weekend.

Those of you who've been with us since day one or those that followed Rule 69 blog when it was with us will remember the concerns we all had about Aus 3 and 4 being under a legal cloud and looking very much like they were destined for the scrap heap.

We've found the boats, they are currently sitting on the hard in Miri Marina (Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia), check out Google Maps,

I've emailed the current caretaker (who's a friend of my olds) and I'm heading up there in a couple weeks so be able to get some more information on what's happening with them from here.

Due to a small miscalculation (glug and I are fat bastards and he's the helm) I've ended up all dressed up with no where to go for the State Match Racing titles over the next three days. Laptop, check, 3G mobile, check, camera, check, chase boat, check... I feel some on water reporting coming on. Kiwi and I will be posting as and when we can tomorrow so keep an eye on the forums if you want to follow along. First flight kicks off at 1.

Discuss this article on the forums. (67 posts)

There was a coment in the forums that there would be little or no sailing in TV coverage of the event. However in this day and age TV is outdated and the internet is king.

Yahoo is the official website in Australia, and promise video streaming of events not seen on TV. The sailing schedule is found here. Will there be live streaming of the sailing?? We have made enquiries to find out, but if anyone knows more let us know.

Go Elise and Tess!

Our favourite event has come to an end with us once again taking home the Manu Minard memorial trophy. It is good to look back at this week with only three losses, especially when facing the World number one Matthiu Richard in his home town.

We woke up this morning still with the hurdle of the semi finals to overcome. A small windshift at the start put us in a strong position over Peter Wibroe, and we managed to capitalise on our advantage with our superior upwind speed. Wibroe and his Danish team put up a strong fight, but we sailed defensively to take out the series 3-0.

You may recall seeing this pic last year of a Farr 40 on the hard in Asia. The yacht was bought by local boy, Dave Walling, and it hit out shores by ship earlier this year.

She has since had the IRC tickle,  including new keel, a prodder and other unspecified mods. I'm told the rumours of a coffee machine are unfounded. She also got a sweet paintjob, but the jury's still out on the wheel colour!

Good luck with the new toy boys!

Doctors note: this a second draft of last weeks story

Controversy Surrounds Freo Doctor Divi 1 and 2 combined IRC Results !

In a move unprecedented in sailing history the organisers of the unofficial overall IRC event have adjusted the overall scoring system mid way through the regatta! When confronted at the FSC urinal by the angry rabble upon discovery of this abomination the PRO “Cougar Brother” was quoted as saying “You can all get stuffed! Whatever result you got today will stand no matter what your division was! Otherwise it would be boring with only 2 races and Freo Doctor is never boring”. Amid claims he had done this out of self interest and with threats of having his head flushed down the dunny “Cougar” agreed that the third place grog voucher (in what he may have some distant vested interest) would be put on the bar on preso day!

The honed atheletes on TWU show how its done in the action packed race 4 Photocredit: Ness

First Prize – Wise Vineyard Restaurant $200 Lunch Voucher – Thanks Heath! – This Way Up

Second Prize – Boating Hardware – Goodies Bag - Southern Star

Third Prize – Forte Plant Hire Grog Voucher – Mind’s Eye

Prizes to be given out at the presentation lunch.

Doctors Note: There is iterest from a couple of FD members to participate in this regatta. Anyone interested should contact shacklespanner. TIme to teach the Kiwis a thing or two??

The Royal Akarana Yacht Club, Auckland, New Zealand is delighted to announce the 2008 New Zealand National Keelboat Championships which will run from Wednesday 12 to Sunday 16 November, 2008. Announcing our new One-Design Fleet In what will be a new era for this regatta, the RAYC has 11 new one-design boats arriving in the country to be used for these championships.

The Farr designed Platu 25 is a proven exciting and fun to sail yacht, with a maximum crew weight limit of 400kg they can be sailed by up to 6 crew including the skipper. Inviting Expressions of Interest We are inviting Regional Associations, Class Associations and Yacht Clubs to nominate one skipper to represent them in this year’s regatta by completing the attached Expression of Interest form.

A maximum of 20 entries will be accepted to compete in the regatta over 4 days on the Waitemata Harbour, Auckland. There is already a lot of interest in this year’s regatta. If your club or association wish to enter this year’s Nationals please send your Expression of Interest back via email, fax or post as soon as possible. RAYC will then issue Invitations together with the Notice of Race and an Application to Enter on Monday 18 August 2008. Entries are Limited. Also note that only one team per Association or Club will be considered unless further places become available due to declined invitations.

PM Shackle for Expression of interest form and pdf overview of Platu 25 design.