Sail Melbourne wrap-up

Many events made up Sail Melbourne this year, the three majors being the Hobie 17 and 18 Worlds, Moth Worlds and the ISAF Grade 1 Olympic and Invited Classes Regatta.

Numbers in the Olympic and Invited classes, conducted by Sandringham Yacht Club, were expectedly down on last year. It is post-Athens 2004, and many competitors have either retired, are trying new things, or are having well-earned breaks.

Exciting, however, was the number of youths moved up into senior competition. Australia can be safe in the knowledge that at least the Laser Radial, Laser and 470 classes are looking strong.

Conditions were variable throughout all phases of competition, giving old and new alike food for thought with the Beijing Olympics on the horizon. In all classes, the competition normally in evidence at an event of this calibre was notably missing.

Australia's results were mixed in the Laser. No one was able to stop 31-year-old Athens Olympian Roope Suomalainen, who led from early on.

Brendan Casey (second overall), Tom Slingsby (third) and up-and-coming local Ricky Ironmonger are the ones to watch. Casey, from Queensland, is the most experienced, having aimed at an Olympic career before, while Ironmonger is new on the scene from the Youth ranks.

The three had moments, but need to do a lot of work if they are serious about Beijing. Having to compete against each other will help, but each needs to be good against international competition too.

 For the more experienced Australians - Nicky Bethwaite and Karen Gojnich in the Yngling Women's keelboat, and Darren Bundock in the Tornado class - the competition was relatively easy. Each has represented at two Olympics.

In a fleet of male and female crews, Bethwaite also won the Australian Yngling championship, sailed in conjunction with the Sail Melbourne win.

Queenslander Matt Belcher and his Tasmanian crew Nick Behrens dominated the Combined 470 dinghy class, winning every race. The pair, now looking towards the Olympics, competed at Sail Melbourne last year and welcome a showdown with Athens 470 sailor and world champion Nathan Wilmot, who is expected to return to the class.

Considering their lack of competition at this level, Wilmot's younger brother Jeremy, with crew Paul Newman, finished a surprising fourth in the 470, only three points in arrears of third-placed Elise Rechichi/Tessa Parkinson.

West Australian 420 world champions Rechichi/Parkinson made a successful transition to their first major 470 event, sailing well throughout.

The Singapore 470 Mens crew looked adept, Roy Tay Junhao/Pei Ming Chung finishing second overall, but 26 points behind the winners. Coach Mark Robinson is happy with their progress.

Josh Beaver won every Finn race; the West Australian is strongly considering challenging for the Beijing spot. He was never threatened by second-placed William Wild or third-placed John Shallvey in the all-Australian field.

Lack of ‘names' in the small 49er skiff fleet made it difficult to gauge the talent of the new breed who were present. Two New Zealand crews finished first and second.

Brothers Mark and Scott Kennedy won from Jake Bartrom (a former top Laser Radial sailor) and his crew Craig Prentice. The latter two damaged gear, costing them better scores in two races.

Australians Joseph Turner/Charles Dorron finished third. Young but keen, they showed a good aptitude for the 49er.

Numbers and solid competition were missing in the Men's and Women's Mistral classes, but Hong Kong certainly gave a dominating performance. The five males and two females outclassed the opposition in their respective fleets to finish top five and top two.

Australia fielded no Women's entry. However, it is the Neil Pryde board that will replace the Mistral at the next Olympics, and it is hoped that Sydneysider Alison Shreeve will return for this new class. Australia's Men's representatives have a way to go; Jonathan Bonnitcha best placed, finishing seventh, but Corey Plant (12th) also bears watching.

 Both able-bodied and disabled raced in the 2.4mR dinghy. Michael Leydon won by 10 points from Peter Russell, both able-bodied. Two points away, a very pleased disabled sailor, Michael McLean, took third place.

Five Chinese officials arrived at Sail Melbourne at the invitation of chairman Kevin Wood. The five will be key members for the Sailing Competition at the Beijing Games, and received on-the-job Olympic training, spearheaded by Wood and Kevin Wilson.

Commenting on the Olympic and Invited classes, Wood said: "We saw the best of what's to come. It was great to see some of our Athens Olympians back and a number of Youth sailors having their first go at the big time. I think we are all a little surprised at just how well they sailed in their first senior competition.

"We look forward to seeing a larger contingent at Sandringham next year, and we are hopeful the numbers will include a team from China."

In addition to the Olympic and Invited Classes, Sail Melbourne featured other events, including world championships in the Moth and Hobie 17 and 18 classes.

Rohan Veal, a Black Rock sailor, won all eight races at the Moth Worlds with ease. Conducted by his home club, the series was shortened by two races, due to either too much or too little wind. Racing took place over three days, some race days abandoned in between. Four races were crammed in on the final day, the top three finishers all using the ‘hydrofoil' technique.

Great Britain sailors Simon Payne and Adam May took second and third places, but Veal was outstanding. Les Thorpe, a long-timer in the class from Sydney, finished fourth - the first of the conventional Moths.

The Hobie 17 and 18 Worlds, contested by international fleets, were conducted by Port Melbourne Yacht Club prior to the Olympic and Invited Classes. Aaron Worrall won the 17s by a nine-point margin. Two USA sailors, Dan Kulkoski and Greg Raybon, took second and third places with 10 points between them.

Australia finished top three at the Hobie 18 Worlds. Defending champion Brad Sumner, with crew Belinda Walkom, grabbed the title by a massive 57 points, winning every race. The minor placings were closer, with Andrew Nelson/Don McPhee finishing second by one point from father and son Richard and Michael Quinn.