Survival of the fattest

The Ronstan Contender Worlds in Fremantle have been hugely windy over the first two days

The first race of the Ronstan Contender Worlds was brought forward to 1 o’clock on Monday 9 January, due to a strong wind warning. When the 61 strong fleet left the shore the anometer on the club was recording 25 - 30 knots with peak gusts to 35 knots.

The race started with no recalls, with Tim Holden leading at the first mark. Tim Hill from Australia went around the windward mark in second place. Unfortunately like most of the British fleet Tim’s challenge floundered with a couple of capsizes leaving nephew Ben to finish top Brit with a seventh place, Tim finished tenth and Simon Mussell 11th. The race was won by Andea Bonnezi from Italy who after a capsize on his first tack recovered to power through the fleet followed by Marcus Hamilton and Matt Hosie of Australia. With two races scheduled for the next day bodies and boats were being prepared for another battering.

With a forecast of even stronger winds on day two the decision was made to start racing at midday instead of the usual 2 o’clock. The right move as it turned out.

The race started in about 18 knots with the usual suspects of Bonezzi (ITA), Hamilton (AUS) and Hosie (AUS) leading the way.

With the wind blowing rapidly Bonezzi and Hamilton extended their lead and were never really challenged. However some excellent and exciting racing was taking place right through the fleet. Simon 'fatty' Mussell finished sixth and proved once again that the future of British Contender sailing is not in self induced bulimia!

The race finished in approximately 30 knots with the prospect of more for the next race.

Race three got under way in a steady 30 knots. Andrea Bonezzi quickly got into clear air off the start and with his excellent boat speed lead around the windward mark closely followed by Marcus Hamilton and Matt Hosie. Andrea’s task was helped by Hamilton capsizing on the first reach.

Racing lower down the fleet became more a case of survival as many of the competitors took several capsizes with many retiring and taking a tow to shore.

Andrea continued to dominate at the head stretching his lead to finish well ahead of Marcus and reigning Champion Jan Von de Bank of Germany. Notable British performances came from Simon Mussell in seventh and David Davies in tenth.

Results:

Pos	Sail Number	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Tot
1	ITA 11	Andrea Bonezzi	1( 1)	1( 1)	1( 1)	1( 1)	3( 3)	7
2	AUS2323	Marcus Hamilton	2( 2)	2( 2)	2( 2)	2( 2)	1( 1)	9
3	AUS2281	Tim Hill	4( 4)	4( 4)	6( 6)	5( 5)	6( 6)	25
4	AUS2296	Matt Hosie	3( 3)	3( 3)	11( 11)	7( 7)	2( 2)	26
5	GBR 709	Simon Mussell	11( 11)	6( 6)	7( 7)	3( 3)	5( 5)	32
6	GER 551	Christoph Homeier	8( 8)	9( 9)	8( 8)	8( 8)	8( 8)	41
7	AUS2126	Paul Green	5( 5)	8( 8)	4( 4)	13( 13)	14( 14)	44
8	DEN 44	Soren Andreasen	9( 9)	5( 5)	9( 9)	18( 18)	9( 9)	50
9	AUS2208	Chris Chambers	23( 23)	19( 19)	5( 5)	15( 15)	12( 12)	74
10	GBR 693	David Davies	16( 16)	14( 14)	10( 10)	20( 20)	17( 17)	77
11	GER 544	Jan Von der Bank	6( 6)	62(OCS)	3( 3)	4( 4)	10( 10)	85
12	GBR2324	Gary Langdown	15( 15)	17( 17)	20( 20)	14( 14)	20( 20)	86
13	GBR2318	Tim Holden	10( 10)	7( 7)	62(DNC)	10( 10)	11( 11)	100
14	ITA 313	Virgilio Frau	12( 12)	62(OCS)	12( 12)	12( 12)	4( 4)	102
15	AUS2237	John Cassidy	62(DNC)	10( 10)	15( 15)	11( 11)	7( 7)	105
16	NZL1753	Andrew Griffiths	17( 17)	24( 24)	13( 13)	28( 28)	24( 24)	106
17	ITA 342	Roberto Lorenzi	13( 13)	13( 13)	62(DNC)	6( 6)	13( 13)	107
18	GBR 683	Geoff Bettle	24( 24)	15( 15)	33( 33)	21( 21)	22( 22)	115
19	GBR2315	Ben Holden	7( 7)	62(DNF)	17( 17)	9( 9)	23( 23)	118
20	GBR 711	Nick Noble	19( 19)	22( 22)	16( 16)	24( 24)	40( 40)	121
21	GBR 700	Nick Grace	30( 30)	18( 18)	22( 22)	30( 30)	21( 21)	121
22	GER 531	Joachim Harpprecht	25( 25)	26( 26)	25( 25)	19( 19)	26( 26)	121
23	AUS2388	Chris Sutherland	14( 14)	16( 16)	62(DNF)	25( 25)	16( 16)	133
24	GBR2310	Paul Walker	62(DNF)	12( 12)	14( 14)	31( 31)	18( 18)	137
25	GBR 702	Matt Aston	20( 20)	11( 11)	62(DNC)	17( 17)	28( 28)	138
26	NED 222	Jan Haanstra	18( 18)	31( 31)	21( 21)	40( 40)	33( 33)	143
27	AUS1306	Simon Spalding	32( 32)	25( 25)	18( 18)	29( 29)	42( 42)	146
28	AUS2263	Richard Batten	62(DNF)	30( 30)	24( 24)	22( 22)	15( 15)	153
29	GBR 685	Chris Mitchell	62(DNC)	23( 23)	30( 30)	27( 27)	19( 19)	161
30	GBR 659	Martin Metcalfe	28( 28)	33( 33)	32( 32)	36( 36)	32( 32)	161
31	ITA 299	Marco Versari	27( 27)	21( 21)	62(DNC)	32( 32)	27( 27)	169
32	GBR 622	Richard Buttner	21( 21)	43( 43)	37( 37)	33( 33)	35( 35)	169
33	AUS1641	Mathew Smith	35( 35)	32( 32)	23( 23)	43( 43)	39( 39)	172
34	AUS 226	Ian Bowman	22( 22)	39( 39)	31( 31)	45( 45)	41( 41)	178
35	NED 232	Mark Thorborg	31( 31)	36( 36)	34( 34)	42( 42)	37( 37)	180
36	AUS2339	Mark Phillips	62(DNC)	35( 35)	27( 27)	37( 37)	30( 30)	191
37	AUS2389	Andrew Pope	29( 29)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	16( 16)	29( 29)	198
38	CAN1798	Neil Smith	36( 36)	40( 40)	36( 36)	46( 46)	44( 44)	202
39	USA2117	Gil Woolley	62(DNF)	29( 29)	29( 29)	41( 41)	45( 45)	206
40	DEN 33	Jacob Lunding	26( 26)	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	23( 23)	36( 36)	209
41	GBR 714	Martin Jones	62(DNF)	27( 27)	26( 26)	34( 34)	62(DNC)	211
42	AUS1587	Adam Garnaut	62(DNC)	38( 38)	35( 35)	39( 39)	43( 43)	217
43	AUS1365	Chris Peile	62(DNF)	34( 34)	62(DNC)	26( 26)	34( 34)	218
44	GBR 678	Bill Hooton	62(DNC)	37( 37)	62(DNF)	38( 38)	25( 25)	224
45	GBR 635	Paul Horlock	62(DNC)	20( 20)	19( 19)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	225
46	GBR 508	Paul Mew	62(DNC)	48( 48)	28( 28)	50( 50)	46( 46)	234
47	AUS2338	Robin Dayes	62(DNF)	49( 49)	62(DNC)	35( 35)	31( 31)	239
48	AUS2166	Ross Brennan	38( 38)	44( 44)	62(DNF)	48( 48)	50( 50)	242
49	GBR 669	Simon Clark	62(DNC)	45( 45)	38( 38)	51( 51)	47( 47)	243
50	GBR1771	Alan Mollatt	34( 34)	28( 28)	62(DNC)	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	248
51	AUS1363	Kym Petersen	33( 33)	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	49( 49)	49( 49)	255
52	AUS2164	David Luketina	62(DNC)	41( 41)	39( 39)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	266
53	GBR2314	Rodger White	62(DNC)	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	44( 44)	38( 38)	268
54	GBR2331	David Murley	37( 37)	46( 46)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	269
55	AUS 201	Wade Palmer	62(DNC)	47( 47)	62(DNC)	52( 52)	52( 52)	275
56	AUS2125	Mathew Kee	62(DNC)	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	47( 47)	48( 48)	281
57	AUS 229	Clinton Watkins	62(DNC)	42( 42)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	290
58	AUS 252	Antonio Martini	62(DNC)	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	53( 53)	51( 51)	290
59=	NED 212	Bart Thorborg	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	310
59=	AUS2105	Greg Barrington	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	310
59=	AUS2174	Norman Brandon	62(DNC)	62(DNF)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	62(DNC)	310