J24 Blog

Photos by PhotoFluid. Doug McGain is still leading, for current standings go here.

The 2008 season may still be a few months away for us Northern Hemisphere types, but our bretheren down under are in full swing. Lucky bastards. Here are the results after day one of the j24 Australian Championship:

The J24 Australian Championship commenced today with two races hosted by the Royal Perth Yacht Club on the Swan River with light winds and very warm temperatures for the 11 boat fleet.

Doug McGain sailing Code Violation and Sean Kirkjian sailing Death Star both got off to a good start in the 10-12 knot easterly and showed the fleet the way around the course with McGain reaching the windward mark first. McGain and Kirkjian tussled around the course but it was McGain who steered Code Violation across for a 31 second win with Kirkjian 2nd and Alyn Stevenson sailing Fun2 third.

Race 2 commenced with a 7-10 knot easterly and it was Kirkjian who took the lead off the start but by midway up the first work Sean Wallis had sailed Wetty Gripper in to the lead but it was to be a battle of four boats to the windward mark which saw Wallis round first with Ed Cox sailing Duck for Cover 2nd, Kirkjian 3rd and McGain 4th.

By the end of the second windward leg McGain had worked his way in to 2nd place behind Wallis with Kirkjian 3rd and Cox 4th with the four boats only boat lengths apart.

The final work to windward saw the race committee move the windward mark to the north around 20 degrees as the breeze slowly began to die and as the boats approached the windward mark we saw a further change in positions with McGain sliding into first position while Kirkjian and Wallis met close to the windward mark with Kirkjian slightly ahead, the positions remained unchanged at the finish.

Light winds are forecast for tomorrow’s three scheduled races commencing at 1230 which will be testing for Race Officer Helen Baker who managed the fleet well in todays conditions.

Results after two races, ten races scheduled.

1. Code Violation, Doug McGain, NSW: 1,1 : 2pts
2. Death Star, Sean Kirkjian, NSW : 2,2 : 4pts
3. Wetty Gripper, Sean Wallis, WA : 5,3 : 8pts
4. Fun2, Alyn Stevenson, SA : 3,7 : 10pts
5. Duck for Cover, Edward Cox, NSW : 8,4 : 12pts

Story here, official site here.