Wireless Communications International 505 World Championships.
Day 2 of the Sir James Hardy 505 pre-worlds in Adelaide brought picture perfect conditions for a day at the beach. It also brought pretty good sailing conditions. We had more breeze than yesterday, 10-12 knots. It was a shifty breeze, but overall, moving left throughout the day. For race 4 the top mark was set at 230 degrees, race 5 at 220 and race 6, 205 degrees. The courses were two-lap windward lee wards.
A 505, sails with a symmetrical spinnaker. In lighter winds it is faster to sail the downwind leg as a run. As the wind increases, once the crew is on the trapeze upwind, it is quicker to reach when sailing downwind. You sail the boat like it has an asymmetrical spinnaker. For today’s racing, race 4 saw the teams running and the second two races saw them reaching.
In race 4 today, most of the lead pack started early in the gate and gaining on the left side of the course. But we also saw the pathfinder round the top mark the first time in third. The leader though at that first mark was Howie Hamlin and Andy Zinn. Second was a whole lot of horizon. This team have been red hot throughout the year and their form continues here at the pre-worlds. They continued on to win the race. Second was Mike Holt and Carl Smit and third, Nathan Batchelor and Sam Pascoe.
For race 5 and 6, Howie and Andy’s form continued to be red hot, posting two seconds, but the increase in wind saw another team turn sizzling hot. The West Australian pairing of Peter Nicholas and Luke Payne, the 2023 World Champions won both races. This pairing, are both pro sailors and they sail their boat with ruthless accuracy. As the wind increases, they are able to keep their rig very stable in the choppy seas and it makes them fast. Third in race 5 was Robin Duessen and David Snoad – this team still speaking, after Robin discovered David had put his birth year in the entry form as 1924 for a bit of humour. Third in race 6 was again Mike Holt and Carl Smit.
Overall, the Sir James Hardy pre-worlds were won by Howie and Andy. Their lead over the second placed Holt and Smit was 2 points. Third, another 4 points back was the local father and son team of Malcolm and Angus Higgins. Our place getters, each winning some extremely rare special edition Hardy’s Wines. January 1st is a lay day for the fleet. January 2nd is when racing for the World Championship starts.
Results can be found here:
https://sailingresults.net/?ID=81997
Thanks to Jack Fletcher for Down Under Sail for the daily highlight video
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