Tasmanian crews are heading Australia’s strong bid for podium places midway through the International Cadet world championships being sailed on Italy’s Lake Garda, with Sam Abel and Hugo Allison second overall and Angus Price and Archer Ibbott moving up to fourth place at the end of day two.
Three straight wins by a British crew of Jamie Harris and Bettina Harris on day two of the championships saw them displace the Tasmanian crew of Sam Abel and Hugo Allison from first to second overall after six races.
Abel and Allison, from Hobart’s Sandy Bay Sailing Club, still sailed exceptionally well, with a 2-6-4 score on day two, but instead of being one point ahead they are now five points behind the GBR crew. The British crew has a net 10 points, the Tasmanians are on a net 15 points.
Club mates Angus Price and Archer Ibbott began day two with a 25th in race four, but improved markedly with a 10th and a second in the next two races. This lifted them from eighth on day one to a close fifth at the end of day two, on a net 31 points, five points behind two other British crews, both on a net 26 points.
Four Australian crews remain in the top ten of the 58-boat fleet with Marty Hood and Jack O’Donnell from Port Lincoln Yacht Club sixth overall on 32 points and Julian Sasson and Mischa Suda from Sandringham Yacht Club 10th in standings on 53 points.
The third Tasmanian crew of William and Laura Cooper are 13th, their racing on day two starting with a 10th, followed by two 25th placings.
The weather on Lake Garda has been a very steady 15-18 knots and conditions look good for the remaining six races, two each day planned for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday a reserve day. Temperatures are around 35º C which means that breezes are likely to be stronger as the week goes on.
Royal Geelong Yacht Club crew, Dominic Randall and Ella Purnell have moved up to 22nd place while club mates Oliver Manton and Benjamin Garner are 27th overall.
Peter Campbell
M: 0419 385 028 E: peter_campbell@bigpond.com
