Nathan Batchelor & Richard Rigg Take the Lead At Subaru Flying Fifteen Pre-Worlds

3rd September 2019

Nathan Batchelor & Richard Rigg are the Pre-World leaders Credit: Afloat

As advised by Race Officer this morning, the Flying Fifteen Pre-Worlds fleet completed three races today in view of a forecast that currently suggests we may not get out tomorrow writes Cormac Bradley.

Two windward- leewards of two laps followed by a full sausage-triangle-sausage saw the on the water time similar to yesterday but more races sailed. The fleet also cooperated with the programme by getting away first time under a U Flag. As the race officer advised the purpose of the regatta is to race not get starting practice.

The conditions were more benign than yesterday and indeed there were instances where crews were sitting in board.

The top ten now only has a solitary imposter, the Australian combination of Mike Hart & Dean McAullay; AUS 4063 whose results are 3, 7, 6, 3 & 4, good enough for 4th overall.

All the other "top-tenners" are from GBR, led by Nathan Batchelor & Richard Rigg; GBR 4070 whose scoreline is 7, 4, 1, 1, 3. Richard Lovering & Matt Alvarado; GBR 4002 are "demoted" to 2nd with race results of 1, 3, 5, 7, 1 leaving them with a 1-point deficit to the top spot. In third are Greg Wells & Andrew Jameson; GBR 5, 6, 2, 11, 2.

The South Africans Campbell Alexander & David Berridge RSA 4009 are 11th (11, 19, 10, 17, 6) followed by the first of the Irish fleet, David Gorman & Chris Doorly; IRL 3920 with a 19, 15, 12, 13, 14 and they in turn are just ahead of the Martin Brothers, Andy & Rory who have a scoreline of 18, 12, 18, 8, 24.

A decision on racing tomorrow will be taken at 11:00 tomorrow morning with only one race needed to complete the series. But as of this evening, we all have a discard, which is nearly as valuable as the final result.

Tonight the fleet is being entertained by a group of speakers that include a member of the Irish Women's Hockey Team that made the World Cup Final last year, Joan Molloy Irish solo sailor, Steve Goacher, Current Flying Fifteen World Champion and Prof O'Connell, a member of an Irish Melges 24 World Championship winning team dealing with the aspects of sport psychology.

Prize-giving for the Pre-Worlds and Championship of Ireland will close out the proceedings tomorrow.

Results are here.

Flying fifteen keel for sale here

Published in Flying Fifteen, Subaru

Published in Flying Fifteen

Tagged under

Flying fifteen

About The Author

Cormac Bradley

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Dublin Bay Fireballer Cormac Bradley was appointed Rear Commodore of the International Fireball Class in 2017. He is a regular dinghy and one design correspondent on Afloat.ie

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