Worlds @Takapuna: Day 3 , Report by Bob Griffits

Onsite Report by Bob Griffits

All images Paula Kopylowycz / Exploder.Full gallery Here
Full Results after 6 races at Sailingeventstakapuna.com
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Takapuna Worlds Day 3, Races 5 and 6.

Today’s races were sailed in conditions not too dissimilar to yesterday, with the offshore Westerly wind just a little stronger than yesterday. The start was delayed to allow for a succession of wind squalls to abate. The racing was underway as soon as the winds had dropped below the upper class limit of 22knots.

The story of the racing was very much similar to yesterday, with the lads from Team New Zealand dominating the races, although Andrew Landenberger once again Gate Crashed their party.

Glenn Ashby consolidated his position as the regatta leader, finishing the day, with a first, and a second. There were no more gear breakages to impede his sailing performances.
Race 5 was won by Peter Burling, who led the race virtually from beginning to end. Ashby was second, and Burling’s 49ner sailing partner Blair Tuke came home to complete the Team New Zealand trifecta.
Andrew Landenberger came home 4th, ahead of Steve Brewin, Nathan Outteridge, and Mischa Heemskirk whom finished 5th, 6th, and 7th respectively.

The conditions remained very much the same for the second race. Glenn Ashby inherited the lead on the first downwind leg and went on to win. Tuke was second, and Ray Davies was 3rd. Andrew Landenberger once again finished 4th, with Heemskirk 5th and Brad Collett 6th.

Peter Burling had broken a centreboard, and eventually finished 15th.
With wind stay in just within the upper class limits, some rigging and appendage failure became apparent on a number of boats, forcing retirement. The most catastrophic failure was main beam breakage on one boat, which led to the boat breaking in half. Another sustained a broken mast.

Significant safety incidents included one sailor whom became separated from his boats, and another whom remained connected to his boat by a trailing trapeze wire, as his craft was blown downwind for some 30 minutes.
Tomorrow (Friday), will be a rest day, with a further 2 races to be sailed Saturday, and 1 on Sunday.

The overall placing’s at this stage are as follows:
1. Glenn Ashby
2. Peter Burling
3. Blair Tuke
4. Andrew Landenberger
5. Ray Davies.
(Report by Bob Griffits).