Davis and Barker lead the NZ Match Racing Championships

[Source: RNZYS] Rod Davis added another two wins to his total of 9 points and remains on top of the leader board still undefeated!

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”!

Dean Barker and Laurie Jury race during the 2nd day of the NZ Match Racing Championships. Auckland, 23 November 2007. Photo copyright NZRYS

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!

Friday 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 and 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 signaled over and had to turn back to re-start.

Chris Dickson and his young crew during the 2nd day of the NZ Match Racing Championships. Auckland, 23 November 2007. Photo copyright NZRYS

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”!

Points Table Sailed / Wins / Loses / Points
Rod Davis 8 / 8 / 0 / 8
Dean Barker 9 / 8 / 1 / 8
Chris Dickson 8 / 6 / 2 / 6
Jonathan Rankine 8 / 6 / 2 / 5.5
Laurie Jury 8 / 6 / 2 / 5.5
Michael Thorpe 8 / 5 / 3 / 5.0
Adam Minoprio 9 / 5 / 4 / 4.5
David Wood 8 / 3 / 3 / 3
Jessica Smyth 8 / 2 / 6 / 2
Jan Dawson 9 / 1 / 8 / 1
Phil Robertson 9 / 1 / 8 / 1
Simon Dickey 8 / 0 / 8 / -0.5