Title for Stening

Optimumm wins Australian M30 Nationals..in rain!

Overnight leader Guy Stening and his team on Optimumm held onto their regatta lead to take the M30 Australian Championship after three days of racing on Sydney Harbour and off Sydney Heads on Sunday. Stening and Optimumm have led the regatta from the first day and won the last race of the series after a very frustrating day of weather for competitors and officials alike.

The third day of racing and the 10 boat M30 fleet from Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales headed for the Macquarie Circle race course off Macquarie Lighthouse. The conditions from Saturday continued with the seven knot breeze swinging from the east to the south and torrential rain blanketing the two nautical mile windward leeward course.

A jumpy fleet started the day with a general recall and then got away to head into the sheet rain towards the top mark. The lead changed a number of times during the race but Stening prevailed to take his third gun for the regatta and so it happened the title.

The race committee decided to take the fleet back into the harbour in pursuit of better breeze and tried for another race but the weather had other ideas. A near glass out on the harbour and with conditions not looking to improve the race committee signalled three sound signals and the title was decided – Guy Stening and Optimumm the winners by nine points.

“This regatta was really hard work, tough conditions for the three days. Our crew work and boat preparation were major reasons for our result, the crew has come together really well since the 2007 M30 Worlds. This event is an important step in our preparations for our 2008 USA campaign in the lead up to the 2008 M30 World Championship in October in Newport, Rhode Island”, smiled a very happy champion Stening.

Stening first raced a M30 in August 2006 and in the last 18 months has come fourth in the 2007 M30 Australian Championship, second in the 2007 M30 Pre Worlds, fourth in the 2007 M30 World Championship and now winning the 2008 M30 Australian Championship.

Chris Tyquin and the Queensland team on GOA/PDL were all smiles after finishing second in their first M30 class event. The team sailed together for the first time on a M30 on Thursday, the day before the regatta started.

“Sydney Harbour as a setting couldn’t be better, the conditions were as challenging as they can get. You couldn’t relax in any race even the last race any one of three boats could have won and it reflects on the tight and competitive racing this class provides. It says a lot for the class and why it’s growing in popularity here in Australia”, remarked Tyquin after racing.

2004 M30 Australian Champion Chris Way and his Awarua Boat Mate team returned to third overall after slipping back to fourth overnight.

“What a testing regatta!! It’s a shame there wasn’t more breeze but that’s nature. My crew didn’t miss a beat; they picked up where we left off from last year. Well done to Guy and his crew they sailed well over the three days and the fleet provided great competition”, commented Way.

The Australian M30 Class would like to thank Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron for hosting the 2008 M30 Australian Championship. The 2009 M30 Australian Championship will be held in Brisbane, Queensland.


Final Results 2008 M30 Australian Championship:

1 Optimumm G.Stening, 12
2 GOA/PDL C.Tyquin, 21
3 Awarua –Boat Mate C.Way, 25
4 K2 B.Eddington, 28
5 Yandoo J.Formosa, 29
6 Cleopatra R.Davis, 48
7 Asterix C.Loel, 49
8 Don’t Tell Mumm G.Hobson, 55
9 Synergy A.Douglas, 55
10 Immigrant J.Paul, 63