2018 South Australian Youth Championships at Largs Bay Sailing Club - Day 1
by Harry Fisher 24 Mar 2018 02:15 PDT
24-25 March 2018
It's tight at the top of the table in the International Cadets - 2018 South Australian Youth Championships © Harry Fisher
It was a challenging day for sailors on the first day of the South Australian Youth Championships, hosted by the Largs Bay Sailing Club, with only four races sailed for the majority of the classes.
There were a scheduled six races for the opening day of the championships, however a light and constantly shifting breeze managed to cause a few headaches for the race committee.
While the day began in light but consistent northeasterly offshore breezes, it wasn't long before it clocked left around to the northwest – while the course needed to be shifted it did bring some pressure with it.
Three races were completed in the morning but while sailors were ashore for lunch it looked as though a moderate sea breeze was trying to fight the existing northwesterly wind direction and it glassed off four a couple hours from 1pm.
After sailors waited in anticipation, the moderate sea breeze prevailed momentarily and all fleets were able to get out for a single afternoon race.
Tomorrow's weather looks strong in the afternoon so the race committee will be looking to complete as many races as possible in the morning if it turns into a blowout in the afternoon.
The regatta coincides with the iconic Premier's Cup keel boat regatta for the third year in a row and the youth sailors will join the keelboat cohort at the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia tomorrow afternoon for a combined presentation.
Open Fleet racing
In the 420 fleet, Alex Magarey and Jacob Lowe in Yahoo lead the way ahead of a couple young skippers in Quinn Auricht and Jonas Barrett.
The International Cadet racing is tight with Darcy Conry and Aiden Porritt in Stoked currently in the lead on a countback to Thomas Gordon and Zoe Hinks in Kaos.
Ben Hinks leads the way in the Laser 4.7 fleet ahead of Ben Newman in second and Darcy Fewings in third.
Josh Hinks has been dominant in the Laser Radial fleet with four wins ahead of Nicholas Pannell with four seconds.
Nicholas Ebourne is in the lead in the Open Bic fleet ahead of brother Thomas Ebourne in second and Tasman Grutzner in third.
Fraser Baker leads the way in Optimist Intermediate ahead of Sailor Cowen in second and Darcy Higgins in third.
In the Optimist Open fleet, Taran Sanderson is in front by five points to Izaak Hart in second and Austin Higgins in third.
Green fleet racing
Racing for the green fleet will not be held tomorrow as the forecast is deemed too windy, so the overall winners were crowned on day one.
Tyndelle Bleakley in Hazardous won the only two races of the Open Bic Green fleet to take the overall win, followed by Hannah Lewis in second and Zoe How in third.
While Will Gaylard won both races in the Optimist Green fleet to take the overall win, ahead of Mitchell Young in second and William Clough in third.
For full results from the first day of racing, head to the results website via Australian Sailing.