Aussies into the frame

Now that the 18ft skiffs are up to their full compliment. Peter Danby reports from the EuroCup in Weymouth

With the fleet now enhanced to nineteen boats by the arrival from France of the delayed containers, the Euro Cup series continued with four more races in Portland Harbour this afternoon, and the British Open event commenced, sailed concurrently, for the entire fleet.

A force 3 to 4 breeze fluctuated in strength and direction, but produced good close racing

With a discard already in operation after the four races, three boats are tied on 5 points for the British Open, with Australian champions Tony Hannan, Cameron McDonald and Greg Windust holding first place on countback, with the RMW Marine team of Rob Greenhalgh, Dan Johnson and Peter Greenhalgh second and John Winning, Euan McNicol and Geoff Beauchop third on Yandoo.

World champions Howie Hamlin and Mike Martin, with Jonni Meers on General Electric, are in fourth place, with Andy Rice, Matt Alverado and Tim Penfold fifth on Link Associates.

Meanwhile, RMW Marine continues to lead the Euro Cup event with a string of bullets. It appeared that their unblemished run of first places might come to an end in the first race of the day when their spinnaker was seriously depowered by a tear that occurred on the first hoist, but they still managed to finish second in the overall fleet and first in the Euro Cup fleet.

Alistair Richardson, Chris Cleary and Dave Smith on White Stuff are second in the Euro Cup series, with Andy Richards, Andrew Fairley and Dave Richards close behind on Radii.

Both these series continue tomorrow, with three more races scheduled.

18 foot Skiff British Open, after four races with one discard:

1. Total Recall, Tony Hannan, Cameron McDonald and Greg Windust (AUS) 5 points
2. RMW Marine, Rob Greenhalgh, Dan Johnson and Peter Greenhalgh (GBR) 5 points
3. Yandoo, John Winning, Euan McNicol and Geoff Beauchop (AUS) 5 points
4. General Electric, Howie Hamlin, Mike Martin and Jonni Meers (USA) 13 points
5. Link Associates, Andy Rice, Matt Alverado and Tim Penfold (GBR) 18 points
6. Hermes, Ed Browne, Mark Tait and Lachlan Torrance (GBR) 18 points
7. Omega Smeg, Trevor Barnabas, Chad Freitas and Ed Smyth (AUS) 19 points
8. White Stuff, Alistair Richardson, Chris Cleary and Dave Smith (GBR) 21 points
9. Fisher & Paykel, Grant Rollerson, Glenn Raphael and Paul Williams (AUS) 21 points
10. Radii, Andy Richards, Andrew Fairley and Dave Richards, (GBR) 25 points

18 foot Skiff Euro Cup, after nine races with two discards:

1. RMW Marine, Rob Greenhalgh, Dan Johnson and Peter Greenhalgh (GBR) 7 points
2. White Stuff, Alistair Richardson, Chris Cleary and Dave Smith (GBR) 20 points
3. Radii, Andy Richards, Andrew Fairley and Dave Richards (GBR) 22 points
4. Hermes, Ed Browne, Mark Tait and Lachlan Torrance, (GBR) 28 points
5. Link Associates, Andy Rice, Matt Alvarado and Nick Murphy/Tim Penfold (GBR) 29 points
6. Base 1, Rob Dulson, Paul Constable and Alec McKinlay (GBR) 33 points
7. Computacenter, Jon Bennett, Andy Jeffries and Nick Jerkins (GBR) 40 points
8. Magic Marine, Alex Tobut, Stuart Appleby and Henry Clarke (GBR) 47 points
9. Wempe, Flemming Clausen, Thomas Ebler and Darren McKavanagh (DEN) 51 points
10. Renewable Energy, Charles Taverner, Ed Clay and Tom Finn (GBR) 52 points

RMW Marine - second in the first race despite tearing their kite at the first hoist