First day for the locals

Western Australia skippers lead at Warren Jones match racing

Keith Swinton of South of Perth Yacht Club tops the leaderboard at the end of the first day of the Warren Jones Youth Regatta, having swept through the opposition undefeated. Second place is shared by another local skipper, Torvar Mirsky of Fremantle Sailing Club, and Sydney's Murray Gordon who both have five wins and two losses in their scoreline.

"We're very happy with that," commented Swinton at the end of the day, "I think it was just good crew work, we've been working pretty hard, we've done a few training sessions and stuff as a team."

The blustery, south easterly breeze which gusted to over 25 knots, tested the crews to their limits, and some of the spinnakers beyond their limits, with a string of sails heading for the sailmakers.

Pre-regatta favourite Seve Jarvin, of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, struggled in the conditions, ending the day in equal 6th place, with a three win, two loss scoreline.

Sharing this place on the leaderboard is Auckland skipper Adam Minoprio, of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, who managed a spectacular spinnaker trawl, which cost him one race.

Best placed of the overseas competitors is Graeme Sutherland, of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club in Auckland, in fourth place having lost one race in five sailed.

England's Ali Hall, of the Royal Yachting Association's Volvo Keelboat squad, looks likely to improve on his eighth place last year, with some significant wins today, to hold fifth place at the end of the day.

Principal race officer Chris Kelly sent the teams ashore for two hours in the middle of the day, when the wind was consistently over 25 knots, but with some slick race management in the afternoon, kept the regatta on schedule.

The events consists of a double round-robin series, followed by a final between the top two scorers.

The Warren Jones Youth Regatta, in memory of the man largely responsible for Australia's victory in the 1983 America's Cup, is being hosted by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, and sailed on the Swan River.

For further information: http://www.wayachting.com.au

RESULTS:

1 Keith Swinton South of Perth Yacht Club 6 - 0
2= Torvar Mirsky Fremantle Sailing Club 5 - 2
2= Murray Gordon Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club 5 - 2
4 Graeme Sutherland Royal Akarana Yacht Club 4 - 1
5 Alastair Hall Royal Yachting Association 4 - 2
6= Seve Jarvin Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 3 - 2
6= Adam Minoprio Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron3 - 2
8 Robert Gibbs Royal Perth Yacht Club 3 - 4
9 Mark Dowling Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron 2 - 4
10 Alexis Littoz-Baritel S.R.V. Annecy 1 - 6
11 Tom Barker Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 0 - 5
12 Rob Scrivenor Sandringham Yacht Club 0 - 6