Monday, January 3, 2011

Day 2 - 2011 LandCorp Mirror Worlds

Racing today started in ideal conditions with warm weather and an easterly of 15-18 knots.  Race 4 got underway with the Blue Peter and most of the fleet went to the left with current leader Paul Taylor going right.  By the top mark, the Team GBR's young sailors Millie Newman and Jessica Rust had rounded first in front of Ireland's Ross Kearney and Max Odell. 
Newman and Rust celebrate the win














With kites up on the reach, things were lively and the British teenagers battled to keep in front of the Irish boat.  They maintained their lead by the bottom gate a lead which they preserved for the rest of the race taking the bullet followed by Kearney and Odell with the South African pocket rocket Ricky Robinson and his brother Ryan. 

Race 5 got underway immediately with the easterly still blowing.  The Philippinos Ridgely Balladeras and Rommel Chavez were on the boat end with some of the other fancies mid-line.  They worked hard to beat 2007 Mirror World Champion Kearney and Odell to the line with Australians Lachlan and Finn Gilbert third.

A beautiful site on Princess Royal Harbour















Race 6 produced spectacular conditions as the breezed softened to 12-15 knots under the warm sunshine to the delight of the sailors.  The start resulted in a general recall and the restart enabled the fleet to get off in a clean start with Lachlan and Finn Gilbert finding form and taking a commanding lead followed by the Taylors and Newman and Rust.  The Gilberts got in the groove and were never headed and stormed home to take the bullet.   

Newman and Rust were second with Taylors slipping back with the Tasmanians, Jessie Atherton and Katherine Maher, in third followed by the South African Robinson brothers. 

Great Reaching















Given the magical conditions, the Race Officer, John McQueen decided to bank a race and got the fleet sailing for Race 7.  Many of the fleet were mid-line to pin boat and the

Race 7 was taken out by the pocket rocket, Ricky Robinson and brother Ryan.  They sailed faultlessly around the course trailled by the young Brit girls who came in second with Australian Mark Phillips and son in third. 

Taking out the Africa Trophy for the aggregate score for races 4, 5 and 6, were the young Brits, Millie Newman and Jessica Rust who sailed consistently all day and were the deserved winners.  

Overall rankings after 7 races with one drop are:
  1. Millie Newman and Jessica Rust - 14
  2. Ridgely Balladares and Rommel Chavez - 26
  3. Paul and Austrin Taylor - 26
  4. 
    Sailing in Paradise
    













Tight Racing














Race 7 Winner, South Africa's Robinson Brothers















Tomorrow, 4 January, will be a lay day.

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