Now things get interesting

Well, as we nudge past the halfway mark in the Living Colour 505 Australian Championships things have tightened up at the top of the table – meaning we are going to have a very interesting couple of days racing ahead.

Boat of the day yesterday was undoubtedly Carter Jackson and David Page. Both Northern Beaches locals – Carter and Pagey also know a lot about this class and turned their local knowledge and boat handling skills into a first and a fourth on another tricky days racing in the Sound, between North and South Head on Sydney Harbour.

The next best performing boats were the ying and yang of the event. WA’s Tovar Mirsky and crew Kyle Langford are complete novices in the class. But their experience gained from years of Match Racing around the world has clearly honed their skills and, in their chartered boat with second hand Dacron sails, they keep showing everyone how a clean set of heels. They scored a one and a five yesterday for six points. Also scoring six for the day was current event leader Sandy Higgins and Jordan Spencer. Sandy and Jordan have a wealth of experience in the Class and are past National Champs, South Australian State Champs and third in the 2007 Worlds and they used this experience to hold their current top spot on the leader board, against increasingly tough competition.

The day started under blue skies and a brisk Sou, Sou Westerly, at around 12 knots… on and off. The decision to stay inside the head was wise. There was plenty of seaway running through the heads and the breeze was lighter offshore.

It did make for a tight course though, with the Manly Ferries (who have been the absolute spirit of co-operation during this event) coming through at regular intervals and Middle Head really coming into play.

For some, the early start worked well but for Queensland’s Adrian Finglas and Sam Heritage today was the day to be the gate boat and as they screamed across from the right they never looked in trouble. They rounded first, with a bunch behind including Carter and Pagey. With the pressure in the right they both gybe set and streeted the fleet that bore away to the bottom mark.

Of the boats in the next pack Sandy, his brother Mal and Crew Nick Johnson, Tovar and another SA Team, Nick Deussen and Jono Bannister were battling it out for third.

At the front the tussle was close. Carter and Adrian similarly matched for speed on and off the wind. Carter ultimately won on a shift and separated. Further back though it was all on and it wasn’t until the last run that Nick and Jono cemented third – leaving Sandy in fourth.

The next start saw the breeze shifted left and the first pressure was out to sea – favouring the early starters. In fact the pin boat was Wally Hewson and Greg Gardiner from the Lake who ended up at the top mark third. This time Michael Quirk and Simon Reffold, also from Sydney’s Northern Beaches had found a gear and got to the top mark with Sandy, Tovar and Adrian Finglas. Not far behind were Jackson and Deussen.

Despite some boat handling errors Tovar got up the next beat with blistering speed and solid tactics – finishing with an underlay to the top that squeezed out Adrian which pushed him into a collision with Quirk. After he quickly acknowledged fault and did his turns the front pack had separated and Adrian then did well to hold his eventual sixth.

By the last beat it was Mirsky, Quirk and Sandy locked in a three way battle – with Tovar slightly quicker. On the last run it was all about the gybe angles and Tovar managed to hold his lead with Sandy late gybing on top of Quirk on the finish line to just claim second. Carter came in fourth.

What does this all mean? Well – at the top of the table sandy and Jordan are still leading. However their lead is now five points to Mirsky and Langford then there is just 12 points between second and eighth place with everyone getting at least one big number so far and three races to go.

“Gruelling”. That was the word used by veteran competitor Earl Alexander when he got ashore after today’s racing – and it well sums up the day for many of the participants in the Living Colour 505 Australian Championships. As the fleet headed out under ominous skies and medium strength South Easterly breeze, but with the promise of a gale warning later in the day, every one was wondering what lay ahead.

While the gale didn’t eventuate until well after racing what made the day so tough were the heavy grey skies, inconsistent breeze strength and seemingly random shifts played havoc with all competitors.

In the first race, Sandy and Queensland’s Adrian Finglas started early, got the first shift and easily crossed the fleet to lead to the top mark. It was a battle then, for the minor places. Sydney’s Michael Quirk and Simon Reffold were there, as was fellow locals Carter Jackson and David Page and Sandy’s brother Mal, sailing with the man mountain Nick “Camel” Johnson. Boatspeed finally paid a third place for Carter and David, with Mal coming in fourth.

Race two was even more challenging. The breeze was shifting right and the early start trick didn’t pay so well. At the top mark the first time there were 12-13 boats in very close company – some coming in on the greater pressure from the left. Some on the better angle from the right. Lottery ticket anyone?

As the pack sorted itself out Kevin Cameron and Matty Bowden got the best of the right hander on the next beat and led easily to the top mark. Leaving Sandy, Carter, Michael Quirk, Tovar, Mal Higgins and South Aussie Nick Duessin, sailing with Jono Bannister and Queensland/Victorian combination of Paul Mitchell and Sam Haines to sort out the minor places. Within this group positions changed by the second depending on the vagaries of the wind and it was never clear, who was where. One thing that was clear, was that Tovar Mirsky, in a second hand chartered boat that he had sailed once, was lit-up and clearly one of the fastest boats out there. He and Kyle used this speed to get a good position on the final beat and did enough on the last run to hold second.

Quirk and Reffold had a good run to take third and Sandy and Jordan got fourth.

After four races – Sandy Higgins and Jordan Spencer are clear leaders with three firsts and a fourth. Just behind them, tied for second spot are the consistent Kevin Cameron and Matt Bowden from RQ and Perth’s Tovar Mirsky, crewed by Kyle Langford. Fourth are Carter Jackson and David Page.

The Living Colour 505 Nationals got racing proper underway on Monday after the invitational race on Sunday.

Conditions started out as nothing less than beautiful – with a brisk 15 knot sou easterly and crisp sunny skies greeting the fleet as they sailed to the Sound, the body of water between the iconic Sydney Heads. These picturesque conditions didn’t last however.

After Sunday’s Invitational Race performance, brothers Sandy and Mal Higgins from Brighton & Seacliffe, sailing with Jordan Spencer and Nick “Camel” Johnson respectively were the two boats to beat. Both South Australians hail from the Brighton and Seacliffe Club and just finished one and two in the SA State Championships. Adrian Finglas, returning to the class after a couple of years but with plenty of skill and a new crew was also clearly fast and knew which way to go.