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Laser Radial

The girl who was first female finisher in the Laser Radial at the Sail Melbourne Olympic & Invited Classes Regatta, Debbie Hanna from Northern Ireland, has, in winning both races sailed today at the Commonwealth Sailing Championships, taken a convincing lead from her competitors.

She has now won four races from four, sailing today in frustrating conditions.

Race Officials were waiting for a predicted southwesterly change to come through, but when it did, there was not much in it.

Race 3 today started in 8-10 knots at 10 degrees on a flat sea, with the expected change coming through at a very light 4 knots at 220 degrees, giving competitors good variety so far.

Margaret De Lange (AUS) placed 2-3 today to maintain her 2nd place overall, while Margaret Morgan finished 3-4 to stay in 3rd place.

Winner in the Yngling class at the Olympic & Invited Classes Regatta, Melanie Dennison, joined the fleet this afternoon, finishing 2, after a late start in Race 2. She will bear watching.

Racing continues on Port Phillip Bay tomorrow starting from 12.00pm.

Overall Top Three

1. Debbie Hanna 4
2. Megan De Lange 9
3. Margaret Morgan 13

Laser

Bronze medal winner at the Sydney 2000 Games, Michael Blackburn (NSW), is emulating his success at the Olympic & Invited Classes Regatta, currently leading the fleet in the Laser class at the Commonwealth Sailing Championships on Port Phillip Bay today.

Blackburn finished his day with a 1-4 result, with the overall 2nd placed Kevin Lim (MAS), scoring 4-1 today in light breezes, the expected big southwesterly winds not eventuating.

Alastair Gair (NZL) is currently in 3rd spot with a 2-2 finish today.

Training partners, Ed Wright (GBR) and Brendan Casey (Qld) currently sit in 4th and 5th places respectively.

Hosted by Sandringham Yacht Club, the Lasers will have a total of 10 races, which continue tomorrow starting 12.00pm.

Overall Top Three:

1. Michael Blackburn 9
2. Kevin Lim 12
3. Alastair Gair 13

470

Nathan Wilmot/Malcolm Page (NSW) finished with a 3-1 scorecard today to continue to lead the 470 class at the Commonwealth Sailing Championships on Port Phillip Bay.

In light and shifty winds, all competitors had their moments, stuck on wrong sides of wind shifts, watching the opposition pass them by.

Jenny Armstrong/Belinda Stowell (NSW) sailed smartly in the light airs to finish with a 2-2 result, putting them in 2nd place overall in the fleet.

Andrew Brown/Jamie Hunt (NZL) had their worst day with a 6-4 finish, but it was enough to keep them in 3rd place.

Mathew and Daniel Belcher won Race 3, placing 5th in Race 4 to be in 5th place overall.

Former 420 World champions, Farokh Tarapore/Amit Arvind (IND), were one of those caught on the wrong side of a couple of shifts to end up with a 7-7 result today.

Overall Top Three

1. Wilmot/Page 7
2. Armstrong/Stowell 12
3. Brown/Hunt 13

Hobie 16

Robbie Lovig/Glen Douglas (Vic) finished with a 2-5 result today in the Hobie 16 class at the Commonwealth Sailing Championships on Port Phillip Bay.

Sailing in light shifty conditions, Shayne Brodie/Loren Gough (FIJ) scored a 3-1 to be placed 2nd overall, and Bruce Tardrew/Sarah Turnbull (Vic) placed 1-3 to be 3rd overall.

The Hobie 16's will have ten races in their series, being conducted by Sandringham Y.C. which continues tomorrow at 12.00pm with a further two races.

Mistral racing was abandoned today, due to light air and a massive wind shift on their course.