The Estate Master Sailing Team enjoyed a great weekend of sailing at Port Stephens, finishing 2nd in the Peppers Anchorage Farr 40 regatta.
Skipper Martin Hill was particularly pleased to win two ‘boat of the day’ titles on the first and third days of the regatta. However, a sub-par day two, in which the team scored a 4, 5 and 7, kept the team just two points behind in the final tally from overall winner Transfusion and skipper Guido Belgiorno Nettis.
On the final day the battle lines were drawn early with two races remaining in the regatta – Transfusion was leading by 10 points from Estate Master and Hooligan both on 24 points.
With the water in the bay flat and the NE seabreeze building, the fleet were on their way in race eight on a three lap NE course. Lisa and Martin Hill’s Estate Master displayed some fantastic sailing skills as they led the fleet after a great start. Estate Master went on to win race eight and did a repeat performance in the last race of the regatta.
Hill said: “We’re really pleased with our result and for Guido who sailed a great regatta. It’s great to have Middle Harbour Yacht Club boats one and two in this event. It’s been great to have our Australian Sailing Team members back on board after Beijing, Malcolm Page trimming and we are seeing improvements happening all the time. We have ‘son in law elect’ (Michael Blackburn) on the main and Nathan Outteridge calling tactics and this was his first Farr 40 regatta in that position. He’s very precise on the start line calls.”
The next event in the Australian Farr 40 2008-09 circuit is the Pittwater F40 Regatta being hosted by Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club on October 24-26.
- Sam Crichton with EM
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