The Etchells Worlds in Newport, RI, got off to a flying start with two races sailed in 11-16 knots of SSW breeze that gently backed in the late afternoon. We got a great report from Steve Girling about the first of two races on Day One.
RACE ONE
The challenge for race one was to get the fleet to use all of the line, since 90% of the fleet wanted to start in the boat-half of the line! PRO Tom Duggan finally encouraged more boats towards the pin but a majority still wanted the right. Conventional Newport strategy, you say…the problem was there looked to be good pressure middle-left!
So, with the fleet stacked up in the boat half of the line, it was Jay Mills, Jamie Mills and Chris Constant who nailed the pin; Kevin Grainger, Karl Anderson and Max Skelly strong on their hip; Hank Lammens, Jens Bojsen Moller and Steve Girling in the next lane and Ante Razmilovic, Stuart Flynn and Chris Larsen in great shape above them.
At the weather mark Lammens was leading, followed by Razmilovic in second and Grainger in third, but with a huge pack on their tails. The pack fought for clear air on the run and this launched Grainger and Hardesty into the corner, bringing them through to challenge for the lead.
Lammens and Grainger split the leeward mark, but Lammens put the pedal down and sailed clear for the race one win. Hardesty was second and Razmilovic fought back hard to get third.
Top 10 Results, Day One
Sail Number / Boat Name / Skipper / Hometown / Race 1-Race 2, Total
1. USA 979, Line Honors, Bill Hardesty, San Diego, 2-2 4.0
2. HKG 1333, Swedish Blue, Ante Razmilovic, London, U.K., 3-6 9.0
3. CAN 1396, CAN 1396, Hank Lammens, Norwalk, CT, 1-8 9.0
4. USA 1378, The Martian, Marvin Beckmann, Houston, 8-3 11.0
5. AUS 1383, Triad, John Bertrand, South Yarra, Australia, 4-10 14.0
6. USA 1411, Elizabeth, Tom Carruthers, San Diego, 5-12 17.0
7. USA 1208, Gumption3, Kevin Grainger, Rye, NY, 6-19 25.0
8. USA 1376, Arethusa, Phil Lotz, Newport, R.I., 9-18 27.0
9. USA 1308, KGB, Senet Bischoff & Ben Kinney, Larchmont, NY, 10-20 30.0Â
10. USA 1296, Appreciation, Jeffrey Siegal, Portsmouth, RI, 17-17 34.0