After four races yesterday on 29 April, the final day of the 505 fleet sailing presented fine sailing conditions. An East North East of 10 knots saw race officer Brian Reynolds set Course 1 with the top mark offshore of Kings Beach, the bottom mark opposite Macarthurs Baths and the Wing mark in line with the harbour wall.
3 races were sailed in ideal conditions with the last race started after the course was reset to accommodate the east shifting and steadily increasing breeze. A 1.3 metre swell made for fast beating and relatively quick downwind legs for the fleet.
Today was the final day for the 505 fleet and racing was finished for the day at 2:00 pm.
In an about turn from the first day’s racing, yesterday’s leading team of Thomas and Peter Funke, sailing for PRetoria Sailing Club (PSC), slipped back into second place after Kyle Klaas and Robert von Greunewaldt, sailing for Pretoria Yacht Club (PYC), dominated the fleet with three firsts to end on nine points and honours for the greater number of firsts during the seven races sailed.
After the decimation of the fleet in Saturday’s gale the 505 champs were downgraded fom a National Championships as only 6 boats were able to continue sailing in Algoa Bay and not the required minimum of 10 boats.
The top three finishers:
- PSC – Kyle Klaas and Robert von Greunewaldt
- PYC – Thomas and Peter Funke
- PSC – Jonathan and Warwick Ham
Fleet 1 and Fleet 2 racing in Algoa Bay continues to-morrow.
Fleet 2 sailed one long race that took them to the Shark Rock Pier, around the Bell Buoy (twice) and then back to round the Olympic course bottom mark and to the finish. The Olympic course for Fleet 1 was shifted to the east to accommodate a wind shift whilst Fleet 2 were on their way down from the Bell Buoy, resulting in some confusion and the sailors did what they do best – sail a longer course around everything “just because they could!”.
Some tight racing took place in Fleet 1 with Orion Express picking the better lines ending the day on top with 9 points off a second and two firsts.
The J27′s of Sean Wiseman (Jellybaby) and Richard Rath (Jouster) had a ding dong battle and swapped places each race with Jellybaby, on 12 points, finally taking the a slender lead of one point over Jouster.
The Royal Cape One Design (RCOD), sailed by Hennie Haasbroek, continues to dominate the cruising division in Fleet 2 and with 6 points is way ahead of second placed Tikalox II (Rob Smith) on 14 points and the Sadler 26 (Morgan Griffiths) on 18 points.
In the racing division of Fleet 2 the Peterson 33 (Jerome Putter) is in for some competition as the Sigma 33 (Roger Cady) is on the same points as Seralon and Wings (Eugene Lombard) lies 6 points adrift.
ABYC Week concludes tomorrow with racing starting not before 10:00 am.
Overall Results:
Fleet 1:
- Orion Express (L26) Rob Archibald – 9.0
- Jelly Baby (J27) Sean Wiseman – 12.0
- Jouster (J27) Richard Rath – 13.0
Fleet 2:
Racer:
- Seralon II (Peterson 33) Jerome Putter – 12.0
- Odelisque (Sigma 33) Roger Cady – 12.0
- Wings (Charger 33) Eugene Lombard – 17.0
Cruiser:
- Sewen (RCOD) Hennie Haasbroek – 6.0
- Tikalox II (Muira) Rob Smith – 14.0
- Fling (Sadler 26) Morgan Griffiths – 18.0
