38 plus degree heat coupled with 20 plus knots of Westerly during the afternoon’s races tested the competitors to their limits in the second day of the HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship.
At the start of the day the wind swung from the North to Northeast back to East till eventually it settled on staying Northwest at about lunchtime which brought in the heat! The teams took on the conditions and even with regular stops to the mother ship for water and supplies it was a little too much for some.
Race management decided to postpone the racing after a couple of competitors suffered from suspected heat stoke.
“It was just too hot, we had some competitors suffer from a few minor injuries and suspected heat stroke so it was the smart thing to do” Said Katie Spithill, event coordinator.
Everyone described the day to be “like a fan forced oven” with Will Boulden (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club) from Perth claiming it’s one of the hottest conditions he’s ever raced in.
“It was like a fan forced over out there, hot and windy, back home in Perth it’s hot but usually not as windy but here it was just like we were cooking.” Said Will.
“Racing wise though we had one bad loss and two good wins, it was good to get out on the water.” Will added
Pittwater sailor, Clare Costanzo (RPAYC) had a hard time just staying in the boat after a specular person overboard stunt.
“We were trying to bare away and I tried telling my team to loosen the main but with the wind it was hard to hear me, the gust hit and the mainsheet flung me out of the boat. I’ve got a bruised leg and a cut on my elbow.”
It wasn’t all bad for Clare, she soldiered on and claimed two wins before coming in to nurse her bruises.
After 15 flights three teams are on 100%
· Harry Price (CYCA) 8 wins
· Lachy Gilmore (RFBSC) 8 wins
· Will Dargaville (RPAYC) 7 wins
To everyone’s relief tomorrow’s racing is predicted in much cooler with the Bureau saying it will be 23 degrees with a 15-knot southerly.
To see the full results visit: www.intyouthmatchracingchampionship.com.au/results/live-results
Racing will get underway early to make up the postponed races. Keep up with all the action via:
http://www.matchracingresults.com/2015/harken-international-youth-championships/
Twitter: twitter.com.au/RPAYCYouthMatch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarkenIntlYouthMatchRacing/
Instagram: instagram.com/RPAYC
Website: http://www.intyouthmatchracingchampionship.com.au/
For a full photo album: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/swa97ry4fkvc2at/AABMIMIgoLk6ZTmifXlB6gQ7a?dl=0
The 2015 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championships marks the 17th consecutive year with HARKEN Australia as naming rights sponsor. Their ongoing commitment to the development of youth match racing is a credit to this leading manufacturer and marketer of quality sailboat hardware and accessories. Visit the Harken website at www.harken.com.au
