Leander 22/1/2002

Race 2

The next day dawned exactly the same. Except the wind was coming from the opposite direction. This confused even some of the most experienced skiff sailors until this was pointed out to them. Skiffies were suffering from the unexpected sun more than the expected hangovers. Which probably should have been expected. The forecast was for a light northerly, changing to southerly in the afternoon. This meant it came as a total surprise when this was actually accurate. Meridian suprised everyone by managing to beat Design Source to the top mark. These two were closely followed by Liquid, Smit Millar, Chemical Weapon and Montana Bakeries. The first five held the breeze as the others wallowed in nothing, and the fleet spread right out over the course. Meridian was chased down by Design Source, and the next three battled for the other placings. Liquid held the other two off, untill a muffed drop allowed Smit Millar through, and a hole at the top mark let Chemical Weapon away. Finishing order; Meridian, Design Source, Smit Millar, Chemical Weapon, Liquid then a huge gap to Dirty Dancing and 92 MoreFM.

Race 3

A light patchy northerly gave plently of opportunity to lose ground easily, and less to gain it. The wind looked best in the left, and the race to the top mark was won by the pace and cunning on board Design Source, who ignored this and went up the middle. Second was Liquid, who had a terrible start, and was spat off to the right to find it paying nicely. Right up their transom was Meridian, continuing their good form from the morning. The ensuing match race between Liquid and Meridian was nothing short of spectacular. They swapped places on the downwind, Liquid nabbing them on starboard at the bottom rounding. A big left hander meant a drag-race out to the right. Noteworthy was a nice comeback from Chemical Weapon, after being buried up the first beat, who was chasing down the leaders with Smit Millar and Dimension Polyant. An overlayed top mark allowed Design Source to get away and Meridian catch up to Liquid, setting up another downwind match race between the two, and desperate recollections of long forgotten overlap rules at the bottom mark. It was all decided by a port-starboard crossing halfway up the next beat, where Meridian clipped the back of Liquid when dipping, and did the required 720. Smit Millar was left in a hole as the fleet sailed past them. Half way down the last downwind, the wind quickly shifted to the south, allowing the lead boats to carry their kites on one gybe all the way down in one big arc, but causing chaos at the back as the run got tighter and turned to an upwind. Finishing order; Design Source, Liquid, Meridian, Chemical Weapon.

Race 4

A new wind direction and a new course, but no major shift in the placings. Design Source, Meridian and Liquid looking good on the right, before a big left-hand gust letting a bunch, Smit Millar, Dirty Dancing, Dimension Polyant and Chemical Weapon through. A huge bunched rounding, and everyone followed each other to the right, except Design Source, who gybed away and passed everyone to lead at the bottom, never to be headed again. Dirty Dancing showed the old boats (not saying anything about the sailors) still have it (whatever it is) and took out second place. 92 MoreFM showed blinding upwind pace to get their first top-five placing of the regatta.