A-Class Worlds 2018 @Hervey Bay: Day 3

Another great set of images by Gordon Upton Photography. Check hundreds of them at his fb page.

A-Class Worlds 2018 @Hervey Bay, Day 3
Day started with postponement on light and shifty winds, but later wind started building and three more races were completed.  On conditions Mischa reports in this TV news report video that wind build progressively from non foiling to just foiling to full flight.

News of the day was Ashby (D3/North) didn’t scored three bullets…! Mischa is putting a bit of pressure, good to see the F1x finally providing him the due performance after many foils iterations since its launch, also PJ reports he reached first to the top mark in race 4, a massive achievement in that fleet for him. The Exploder D3 is filling the top ten spots with 8 out of 10.

On the title race Mischa & Bundy got a bullet each which is the best scenario in the end as a perfect bullet wipe out from Glenn is not than fun to follow. Eitherway this Worlds is filled with top notch talent. Just review the top 6 below, can’t count the sum number of World Championships those guys hold in their trophy shelves.

Right after them good to see Stephen Brayshaw and rising star from Spain, Iago Lopez Marra. Both of them are young with plenty of years of high performance ahead, they will be leading the pack along other young Aussies and polish top guns Tymek Bendyk & Kuba Surowiec.
Speaking of the Polish fleet, bad news seeing our good friend Jacek Noetzel on the Ferry, a knee injury put him out of the regatta.

For those always asking on equipment used, check results table below

On the Classics Landy (D3/Landenberger) continues to dominate as done on the Aus Nats past week.

Classics Division Report by Ben “The Admiral”Hall sent by the US Class Assoc:
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“Today started out light but sailable…but the RC did not see it that way and put up an AP ashore when were almost to the starting line. In retrospect is was a good idea since the the wind did  180 shift from SE to NW.

The first race was in about 5-8 kts. Lots of place changes with the shifts and holes. Graham Parker again broke the Landy win streak (Landy showed us he was human with an uncharacteristic 5th. I was deep at the first weather mark and it only got worse when I leaned too hard on my curved boom and broke the gooseneck off the mast. So the boom was flailing around for the rest of the race. The good news was that I went the right way the next two beats and moved up nicely in the fleet (11th).

The wind built for the second race to 12-14 kts. Landy lead wire to wire with Graham Parker second and Scottie third. Webbon had a great race with a 5th and I hung on for 7th.

The last race was the windiest at 12-15. I had a great  start at the boat and led to the left corner. But it went downhill from there. Webbon had another great race with a 5th.
Landy was again on top with Scottie second and Graham third. Tried trapping downwind and was ripping in the big puffs. Lost two boats right at the finish….argg.

Bob W moved up to 5th and I stayed in 8th. Bob Orr finally got on the race course today and came off the water with a huge smile on his face. Mike Krantz had a tough day on Mellow Yellow. Ended up in the measurement booth and the protest room for the second day….more drama than substance…Mike can give you the total lowdown.

Tomorrow looks to be very breezy out of the North and it will be very tough to get off the beach…maybe it will a day to go to Fraser Island…and Thursday looks to be even windier. Could be that Friday is our only chance to get our final races in.

Tonight we had a big meeting about the Classic discipline. Lots of great discussion but nothing was decided except the formation of working committee which Landy will chair. I am on this committee so please let me know how you feel about any of  the issues or comments you have about the Classics. (addressed to the US fleet)

G’day from Hervey Bay
The Admiral
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Top ten Classics , Full results here