Sutherland & Jury qualify for the New Zealand Match Racing Championships

[Source: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron] Graeme Sutherland and Laurie Jury have secured the final two spots in the New Zealand Match Racing Championships after coming 1st and 2nd respectively at the New Zealand Match Racing Championships – Qualifier Series. They now complete the 10 skipper line-up with includes Dean Barker, Chris Dickson, Gavin Brady, Simon Minoprio, Adam Minoprio, Simon Dickey, Phil Robertson and Scott Dickson.

Sutherland finished top of the Qualifier Series – held over the past three days – narrowly beating arch rival Jury in a nail biting final. Jury won the first and third matches and Sutherland the second, fourth and finally the fifth to win the regatta.

Jury, who qualified 1st from the double round robin fought hard but Sutherland came from 2nd place in the double round robin to beat the favored Jury.

Sutherland was also given the only black flag of the regatta today when racing against 3rd placed Jan Dawson. Coming down the run Dawson gybed onto starboard and luffed Sutherland who failed to keep clear and was awarded his first penalty. Then at the bottom mark Sutherland had no overlap but ‘stuck it in there’ and hit both the mark and Dawson’s boat gaining penalty number two and three which equals a black flag disqualification.

In this morning's Semi Finals Jury chose to sail Michael Thorpe, who he beat twice to secure his spot in the finals.

This left Sutherland to race Dawson and Sutherland won races one and three – but in race two is when Sutherland got his black flag.

In Dawson’s prizegiving speech she thanked the umpires 3 times – which directly relates to the number of penalties they gave Sutherland in her semi final match!

5th spot went to David Wood whose opponent forgot to show up for racing this morning.

Dawson rounds the top mark ahead of Thorpe at the qualifiers for the NZ Match Racing Championships. Auckland, 19 November 2006. Photo copyright Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

Jury (Touch of Gloss) leading Sutherland (Matrix) in the finals of the qualifiers for the NZ Match Racing Championships. Auckland, 19 November 2006. Photo copyright Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

Jury (touch of gloss) 'sticks it in there' at the top mark Sutherland (matrix 2000 on right) during the qualifiers for the NZ Match Racing Championships. Auckland, 19 November 2006. Photo copyright Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron