Hobart yachtsman Michael Hutchinson’s Hobie 33, Emotional Rescue is a rare breed of yacht design in Tasmania, also probably the only Hobie 33 in Australia, but she certainly is fast and rates well. (more…)
In a fighting last race comeback, Tasmanian Matt Bugg early today won the Silver Medal in the 2.4m Norlin OD class at the Rio Paralympics, brilliantly winning the final race.
A disqualification from race 10 for the 2.4m Norlin OD class has cost Tasmanian Matt Bugg the chance of winning a sailing gold medal at the Rio Paralympics. Early today (AEST) he faced a battle to win the bronze medal.
Michael Hutchinson’s Hobie 33 Emotional Rescue has taken AMS honours in the first race of the Piper Opener, a night race from Hobart to Green Island in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
The unpredictable nature of sailing reared its head in Guanabara Bay on day two of the Rio 2016 Paralympic sailing regatta with only one race apiece for the Skud 18s and Sonars and racing for the 2.4s abandoned on the first windward leg.
Tasmanian Matt Bugg had a brilliant start in the 2.4s and was well placed when race officials pulled the pin, because no boat had reached the first mark within the time limit of 25 minutes.
Helena Lucas (GBR) heads the leader board with 3 points, Hans Kroeger (GER) on 5 and Dee Smith (USA) and Matt Bugg (AUS) both on 8 points. Kroeger was leading the fleet when the race was abandoned, with Lucas, the gold medallist at London going backwards in the fleet.
Australia’s Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch won the only race for the Skud 18s, their second win of the series and opening up their overall lead to five points from the Canadian crew, with Great Britain a close third.
In the Sonar three-person class, the Australian crew of Colin Harrison, Russell Boaden and Jonathan Harris remain top of the leader board after finishing fifth in race three. They are on 8 points with the Canadian crew (today’s winnners0 on 11 points and Greece on 12 points.
The crews were kept ashore until late afternoon with racing starting for the 2.4s on the Escola Naval course but abandoned with half an hour of the start.
France’s Damien Sequin commented: “The first upwind leg was too long. 25 minutes was just too long for us to reach the first mark.
Australia's Skud 18 won their second race overnight. Photo World Sailing,
With no racing today, the day one leader board remains unchanged with Helena Lucas (GBR) on 3 points, Heiko Kroeger (GER) 5 points with Dee Smith (USA) and Matt Bugg (AUS) both on 8 points.
Three races are scheduled for the 2.4s on day three of the Rio Paralympics.
World Sailing/Peter Campbell
14 September 2014
Australia was the dominant force on day one of the Rio Paralympics, with AUS crews leading in the Skud 18 and the Sonars and Matt Bugg a close fourth in the 2.4 Norlin OD.
Bugg had a third a fifth place and is on equal points with third-placed Dee Smith (USA), five points the leader sailor.
London gold medallist Helena Lucas (GBR) heads the leader board in the 2.4s with a 1-2 results, followed by Heiko Kroeger (GER) with a 2-3, Smith (USA) with a 7-1 and Bugg (AUS) with a 3.5 scorecardl.
"Matt did a great job today. Tomorrow may be tricky (according to the forecast), " coach RIchard Scarr said after the racing.
The Rio 2016 Paralympic sailing competition started in testing, yet good racing conditions with Rio turning on the charm with sunshine and breeze for a 'thrilling opening day', reports World Sailing.
'Casting an eye over the results it's fair to say that Australia was the dominant force after two races across the three Paralympic events,' World Sailing commented.
Australia's Sonar crew is leading after dya one at the Paralympics. Photo World Sailing.
Both the AUS Sonar and Skud 18 crews had a 1-2 result today, with the Sonar crew opening up a 6 point lead of their nearest rival and the Skud 18 crew leading by 3 points.
World Sailing/Peter Campbell
