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Next his team mate and training partner - Dean BARKER is just one point behind with a total of 8 points. The duo is scheduled to race tomorrow morning in Flight 13.

Throughout the regatta DAVIS has never looked like losing until this afternoon against the all female crew helmed by Jessica SMYTH. The pair started evenly with SMYTH to windward and DAVIS to leeward. Just after the start SMYTH looked to be in control and looked over onto DAVIS' boat which was just to leeward and heard bowman Richard MEECHAM say to his skipper "Yes, the girls are higher and faster than us"!

It gave the girl's team a boost and they rounded the top mark for the first time ahead of DAVIS. Closing in on the bottom mark and getting ready to drop the spinnaker the genoa sheets got wrapped around the spinnaker pole and trimmer Aimee Famularo couldn't bring on the genoa on in time, this gave DAVIS enough room to get around inside the girls at the bottom mark and enough of a lead to win the race!

Today can only be described as a long day on the Waitemata harbour the crews were held ashore until mid morning when Race Officer Megan KENSINGTON brought them out on to the water with the hope of racing. It wasn't to happen and the crews were sent back ashore. The race committee stayed on the water and at around 3pm were satisfied there was enough breeze building to send the boats out again. 3 flights were completed (flights 8 - 10).

Chris DICKSON and his young crew were undefeated today with another two wins out of two races - taking their total points to 6. The team had a close pre-start with young skipper Adam MINOPRIO nd his Blackmatch Sailing team. But MINOPRIO was over at the start. As DICKSON crossed the line he pointed this out to the race committee who had already seen it and MINOPRIO was signalled over and had to turn back to re-start.
DICKSON was very pleased with the day and is happy with the way "the boys" are sailing. There are three current members of the RNZYS Lion Foundation Youth Training Programme sailing with DICKSON; bow Bradley FARRAND; main Scott BURLING and pit Tom BLAMPIED. For all three youngsters this is their first match racing regatta sailing in the Farr MRX's, and for Tom practice day was his first time sailing on a Farr MRX! I asked 18 year old FARRAND what is the difference sailing with DICKSON to other skippers? He replied quickly "He wins every start"!

Representing the RNZYS Lion Foundation Youth Training Programme is the team skippered by 20 year old Michael THORPE, who was also undefeated today with 3 wins over 3 Youth Training Programme Graduates, SMYTH, David WOOD & Jonathan RANKINE.

When asked about his 3 wins THORPE explained "We sailed clean, kept it simple and had good starts against them all".

Thorpe races his older cousin Adam Minoprio tomorrow morning as well as BARKER and Simon DICKEY.

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron - www.rnzys.org.nz