Strong winds have brought about an early finish to the 2009 Sail Brisbane regatta with a number of classes decided in day's one and only race.
The northerly wind of 20 knots, with gusts up to 25 knots, and heavy swell, made life difficult for the more than 160 competitors who took part in the opening round of the 2009 Sail Down Under series.
Australian Sailing Development Squad athlete Ashley Brunning claimed victory in the Laser class, winning the final three races of the regatta to finish with a slender four point lead over the UK's Robert Godwin with Matias Del Solar Go third.
Brendan Casey led the Finn class from start to finish, winning six races on his way to victory, ahead of Henry Bagnall and Bucky Smith.
470 sailors Sam Kivell and Will Ryan had a two point victory of Alexander and Patrick Conway, a great result given they missed the first day of the regatta, were sailing a new boat and were competing in their first regatta since the 470 World Championship earlier in the year.
In the Laser Radial class Mitchell Kennedy won by just two points, with Annalise Murphy finishing third overall and first female. Laura Baldwin was fourth overall and second in the women's class. Daniel Smith continued his good form in the Laser 4.7 class, finishing second in the final race of the regatta to take victory overall from Josh Franklin and Jan Kemp.
Ryan Lindsay and Adam Jones won the 420 class with Sasha and Jaime Ryan second and Angus Galloway and Alex Gough third. Sasha and Jaime Ryan also won the Girl's Youth class.
Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron sailor Luke Baillie was unstoppable in the RS:X class, winning all ten races to finish ahead of fellow 2009 ISAF Youth World Championship competitor Joanna Sterling with Joel Tyack third.
Adam Lahey and Troy Rushton won the 29er class with Angus Rankin and Grant Hudson just behind them and Byron White and Thomas Koerner third. The Foiling Moths didn't complete a race on Sunday with Brent Pearson taking out the regatta, Justin Spillman finishing second and Australian Sailing Team 470 skipper Mathew Belcher third.
The SB3 fleet completed just one of their scheduled four races for the day with Phillip Gray winning every race of the regatta to take a nine point lead over Kai Timm with troy Forrest in third. While in the Contender class it was Matt Mulder on the top step of the podium ahead of Geoff Fisher and Phillip Evans. Andrew Keag and Helen Warneke took victory in the Hobie 16 class in the final race of the regatta, overtaking Rob Ranch and David Woods with Peter and Juliet Bates third.
Klaus Lorenz and Charlie Wyatt were tied on points in the International Optimist class, with Lorenz eventually declared the regatta winner and Hugh Cronin finished third. In the Sabot class Joel Turner took victory ahead of Sophie Lahey and Kimberley White.
