Katie Spithill dominates

Australian match racing finale to take place on Sydney Harbour tomorrow.

Pittwater sailors Katie Spithill and Nick Souter will meet in tomorrow’s final of the 2006 Match Racing Championship being conducted on Sydney Harbour by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.

The two young women from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club won their way to the final with convincing victories in the best-of-five semi-finals this afternoon, following the elimination round-robin this morning.

Spithill, No 7 in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) world women’s match racing rankings, scored a 3-0 semi-final win over Samantha Boyd from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Youth Sailing Academy.

Souter, looking for a fourth success Australian Women’s Match Racing title win, beat Olympian Nicky Bethwaite, representing the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron 3-1 in their semi-final. Boyd and Bethwaite will also race again tomorrow in the petit final decide third place overall.

Sydney again provided excellent sailing conditions as the top six teams began their third round-robin, with a 12-15 knot north’easterly seabreeze sweeping up the Harbour after a two hour wait in hot and humid conditions. However, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Race Committee knew the seabreeze was on its way down the coast and, once the cloud cover cleared, in it piped, steadily increasing to 15 knots, gusting to 18 knots.

Katie Spithill was again unbeatable, winning five straight flights to finish at the top of ladder ahead of Nicky Bethwaite and Nicky Souter, who each had three wins and two losses. Bethwaite held second place after beating Souter in their flight.

Fourth place, and also a berth in the semi-finals, went Sam Boyd with two wins and three losses, but it was a disappointing day for fellow CYCA Youth Sailing Academy sailor Lucinda Whitty. After her impressive performance on day two, the 16-year-old could manage only one win, unluckily losing her flight against Victorian Claire Hunting from Sandringham Yacht Club.

Lucinda, the youngest helmsperson in the Championship, was leading on the final spinnaker run when the bowline tying the spinnaker sheet to the sail became undone and Hunting sailed past to her only win of the day. Boyd’s two wins were against Whitty and Hunting to reach the semi-finals.

With excellent sailing conditions continuing late into the afternoon, the Race Committee began the best-of-five semi-finals, with Spithill chosing Boyd as her opponent and Bethwaite matched against Souter.

With a southerly change forecast overnight, the women can expect testing conditions tomorrow for the final and petit final with south to southeasterly winds of 15-20 knots predicted by the Weather Bureau.

2006 Australian Match Racing Championships, at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Day three:

Standings after Round Robin 3

1. Katie Spithill (RPAYC) 5 wins 0 losses
2. Nicky Bethwaite (RSYS) 3 wins 2 losses
3. Nicky Souter (RPAYC) 3 wins 2 losses
4. Samantha Boyd (CYCA) 2 wins 3 losses
5. Claire Hunting (Sm YC) 1 wins 4 losses
6. Lucinda Whitty (CYCA) 1 wins 4 losses

Semi-finals:

Spithill def Boyd 3-0
Souter def Bethwaite 3-1