Eddington successfully defends

Sam Crichton reports from the Aussie Mumm 30 Nationals

11 teams from five Australian states headed out to the racecourse off Sydney’s Palm Beach today to complete four races on day one of the Workforce Marine Mumm 30 Australian Championship.

Racing started on time in a seven knot northeast breeze with the breeze building to 12 knots over the days racing and staying generally in a nor east direction. There wasn’t as much tidal influence today as there usually is and the boats that went right on the course did well.

Defending title holder Bruce Eddington from Victoria has proved he is a worthy recipient of the boat of the day flag after winning the first three races of the day and placing second to new kid on the block, Guy Stening’s OptiMumm in race four.

“The crew I have are most of the team who raced with me at the 2006 Mumm 30 worlds in Miami. We had a great day today but there are a number of boats who are definitely challenging the front of the fleet. The bar has been lifted in the local Australian fleet. It was fairly lumpy conditions out there and we still have two days to go", said Eddington after racing.

Local pair of Chris Way and Geoff Coeull on Way Cool Racing are just holding onto second place by half a point from Stening. In race three Stening and Guy Holbert’s Rumbo from Port Stephens crossed the line in a dead heat for fourth place and were awarded the appropriate points.

Stening, who is sailing in his first Mumm 30 class event, is sailing with well known Australian Mumm 30 sailor Darren 'Twirler”' Jones as a member of his crew.

South Australian Chris Tillett’s Port Dock Ginja, winner of the class Australian title in both 2001 and 2003 is currently placed fourth overall and is still in contention with two days of racing to go.

Returning to class racing after three of years racing in offshore events is Anthony Paterson’s Tow Truck. “We had a lot of fun today and are very happy with our speed and results. We had great pace and the new sails also helped out. Racing with the class is a little bit different to what we’ve been doing and we are enjoying it”, said Paterson.

Typical of one design racing the boats currently placed in second through to fifth are within six points of each other and with two days of racing still to go and all results to count, it’s anyone’s game.

Racing continues over the weekend with the weather forecast for Saturday currently predicting a 10-20 knot northeast breeze with a 1-2m sea.

Provisional Results Day 1:
1 K2 B.Eddington SYC 5
2 Way Cool Racing C.Way/G.Coeull RPAYC 12
3 Optimumm G.Stening RSYS 12.5
4 Port Dock Ginja C.Tillett CYCSA 12.5
5 Tow Truck A.Paterson LMYC 16
6 Rumbo G.Holbert PSYC 18
7 Mumbles C.Loel RQYS 27.5
8 London Calling S.Hindmarsh RPYC 29
9 Immigrant J.Paul PCSC 35
10 Synergy A.Douglas RQYS 35
11 Bitter& Twisted D.Price DSC 44