Outteridge takes second

As Australian A-Class Nationals conclude

Saturday January 7th 2012, Author: A-Class Australian Nationals, Location: Australia

Last night, seven times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby (Emirates Team New Zealand America's Cup team, and winner of 14 multihull World titles and two Olympic Silver medals) won the 2012 John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Championships. Ashby declared this star-studded fleet 'the best ever.'

The final day of the Championships was another postcard day on Lake Macquarie, NSW. Blue sky and a light 10-12 knot sea breeze greeted competitors for the last race in the 2012 Australian Championships with the minor placings to be decided in another race of 'champions'.

After eight races Steve Brewin, (2011 A Class World champion) was three points clear of Wangi Wangi local Nathan Outteridge (three times 49er World Champion).

It was a clean start and Darren Bundock (14 catamaran World titles, two Olympic Silver medals and member of Oracle's America's Cup Syndicate) led at the top mark. Scott Anderson (1984 Tornado Olympic bronze medallist) was second.

Tom Slingsby (four times Laser World Champion) rounded fourth behind Andrew Landenberger (1996 Tornado Olympic bronze medallist) and Brad Collett (2011 NSW and Queensland A-Cat Champion).

Australian legend James Spithill (skipper of 2010 America's Cup winner BMW Oracle) followed, then Outteridge with Brewin two places further back.

On the next laps Bundock, Anderson, Landenberger, Outteridge, Spithill and Brewin battled for the placings. It seemed that Brewin could stay with the 49er champion.

On the top of the upwind leg for the third time, Brewin was on the wire struggling with a jammed downhaul as he started to reach to the clearing mark. Suddenly he dropped his mainsheet, the boom swung away, he capsized - it was all over. Brewin took an eternity to right his boat. He was 17th when he finally passed the clearing mark and by that time the leaders were approaching the finishing line.

Down at the finishing line Bundock crossed ahead of Landenberger and a fast finishing Outteridge, who slid across the line four seconds ahead of Anderson. Slingsby was next, then Brayshaw and Collett. Spithill was ninth, Brewin 14th.

Within minutes they were back in the boat park. It does not pay to get between a sailor and his trailer on the last day of any regatta.

Nathan Outteridge commented: "Steve was staying close initially. I was keen to try to drop us both back into the teens and then have a drag to see who could best sail through the fleet. On the last run I was really pushing. Just stoked to get second overall against this fleet."

Darren Bundock, the final race winner was third overall. "It was good to get out in front today. I won the race in the first gybe, just wish that Ashby bloke was here so I could have beaten him today."

Steve Brewin was philosophical: "Oh well shit happens!! I was really enjoying the battle with Nathan. He did it well - he was sitting on me. I made a mistake. I only had a little downhaul brake and I was trying to fix that and I shouldn't have been and I let go of the main. Game over. On the way out the sail fell down and then the downhaul went. Then I was in the water, so trouble comes in threes. I could have sat on the beach and done what I did here. But you know what? There is another regatta soon, then another Worlds. I will look forward having learnt by my mistakes. Sure I was beaten into third place overall but it was a great, great regatta."

Jimmy Spithill finished fifth overall. "A really impressive fleet, 70 boats, and a wonderful regatta. With the curved (dagger) boards, trapezing, Glenn and Nathan are on another level downwind; they are real naturals on the wire while the rest of us look like a bunch of teabags. Myself, Dirk (de Ridder), Tom and Darren are taking our boats to San Francisco. On the trapeze downwind in SFO will be a blast! Just to be able to mix it with Steve Brewin, Scott Anderson and Andrew Landenberger, who have had so much time in these boats, was wonderful. Lastly a special thanks to Tony Outteridge, who got every race away on some great courses."

Scott Anderson, the 2012 Grand Master Champion, finished fourth overall. "It's absolutely fantastic that these guys have committed to A-Cats. Now the AC on Cats and these are the perfect boats to learn the basics. If you stuff it up, the boat tells you very quickly. Good on the guys for coming."

Stephen Brayshaw said "Brilliant, brilliant racing. Not being a professional I am just stoked to come eighth in this amazing fleet. We have really, really enjoyed having to top guns here."

Tom Slingsby, still coughing, gasped: "Last night's rum did not help my cold. But I am getting this boat figured. If I started today I'd be looking OK, I just need more time in the boat. If I take it to San Francisco where there are strong breezes. I'll look for a 'kiddie's corner' where I can venture out one day."

John Kostecki (Oracle Racing tactician) quipped: "Okay, I've done enough practicing. Now I am ready to start the regatta!!"

Top 50 results: 

Pos Sail No Skipper R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 Tot
1 AUS111 Glenn Ashby 1 1 2 1 1 4 1 3 [71.0C] 14
2 AUS973 Nathan Outteridge 2 6 [7.0] 3 5 3 3 2 3 27
3 AUS4 Steve Brewin 4 3 1 6 2 1 4 9 [14.0] 30
4 AUS888 Darren Bundock 3 2 4 2 [20.0] 8 2 11 1 33
5 AUS975 James Spithill 10 9 6 4 3 5 5 [16.0] 9 51
6 AUS902 Scott Anderson 7 10 10 10 [25.0] 2 6 7 4 56
7 AUS308 Andrew Landenberger 6 7 8 13 12 [24.0] 19 8 2 75
8 AUS25 Stephen Brayshaw 9 [17.0] 13 7 10 16 9 6 6 76
9 AUS20 Chris Batenberg 12 11 [22.0] 5 19 10 8 5 10 80
10 AUS321 Andrew Williams 11 [71.0O] 15 12 7 12 7 4 13 81
11 AUS972 Tom Slingsby 15 5 5 8 24 23 [30.0] 1 5 86
12 AUS10 Brad Collett 8 8 14 15 11 [25.0] 20 10 7 93
13 AUS967 Graeme Parker 14 12 11 17 6 15 14 [22.0] 12 101
14 AUS13 Jack Benson 24 15 9 14 4 [28.0] 15 20 8 109
15 GER14 Bob Baier 13 22 3 11 8 [40.0] 24 25 11 117
16 AUS907 Davis McKenzie 16 14 [30.0] 19 13 14 10 18 22 126
17 AUS958 Simon McKeon 5 4 17 9 27 [36.0] 22 28 15 127
18 AUS961 Stuart Scott [23.0] 19 19 18 15 17 13 14 17 132
19 AUS949 Dave Brewer 20 13 [31.0] 23 28 7 11 13 23 138
20 AUS898 Chris Cairns 31 30 12 [71.0C] 9 6 17 17 19 141
21 AUS969 Grant Pellew 21 27 16 16 18 18 16 23 [32.0] 155
22 AUS8 Graeme Harbour 17 24 24 [32.0] 29 9 21 15 18 157
23 AUS936 David Parker 28 16 21 21 [32.0] 11 12 24 27 160
24 AUS920 Adam Beattie 22 23 25 22 14 21 26 26 [35.0] 179
25 AUS957 David Loutit 18 21 28 24 23 [32.0] 23 21 30 188
26 AUS22 Mark Johnston 26 20 [58.0] 29 17 19 47 12 21 191
27 AUS844 Richie Howells 29 28 26 27 16 [42.0] 31 31 26 214
28 NED88 Caroljn Brouwer 40 [41.0] 18 20 35 20 34 33 29 229
29 AUS933 Chris Parker 33 33 23 25 31 [44.0] 27 32 28 232
30 AUS900 Wayne Mercer 19 18 38 30 43 37 [71.0O] 19 31 235
31 AUS947 Lucas McDonald 30 26 44 [47.0] 21 13 29 43 33 239
32 USA1 John Kosteki 27 [71.0F] 36 33 48 29 25 27 16 241
33 AUS100 Simon Nelson [71.0F] 35 32 31 39 46 18 42 25 268
34 AUS7 Hamish Sinclair 34 [71.0C] 27 35 26 22 49.0N 45.0N 34 272
35 AUS911 Michael Kopp 36 34 37 39 [42.0] 26 33 30 41 276
36 AUS101 John Richards 47 40 20 28 22 27 [71.0C] 71.0C 40 295
37 AUS9 John Dowling 32 31 [46.0] 41 34 34 42 38 43 295
38 AUS58 Andrew Chaney 39 32 33 36 49 41 35 39 [71.0C] 304
39 AUS837 Clare Neeskens 45 [54.0] 29 37 40 30 44 47 36 308
40 AUS954 Paul Neeskens 38 29 47 [56.0] 41 48 32 29 45 309
41 AUS935 Steve Breaden 37 38 35 [71.0F] 50 33 40 37 46 316
42 NED112 Dirk de Ridder 35 25 34 [71.0O] 71.0B 38 28 71.0F 20 322
43 AUS827 Neil Caldwell 42 37 45 43 45 [55.0] 41 34 42 329
44 AUS880 Ian Michie 48 44 49 44 30 [51.0] 38 44 38 335
45 AUS37 Bruce McArthur 25 [71.0F] 48 26 46 39 71.0F 71.0C 24 350
46 AUS944 Steve Wright 44 [71.0F] 64 42 37 35 46 40 48 356
47 AUS90 Pieter-Jan Postman 46 47 53 [61.0] 38 52 36 41 44 357
48 AUS804 Thomas Stuchbery 55 49 40 46 53 [58.0] 37 36 58 374
49 AUS9I4 Brad Wicht [71.0F] 43 43 52 55 45 45 50 49 382
50 AUS739 William Pringle 54 [71.0F] 57 57 33 49 43 48 56 397

Latest Comments

Add a comment - Members log in

EmailPrintTwitterFacebookLinkedInStumbleDigg

Latest news!

Back to top
    Back to top