Lawrie Smith wins race one for the Børge Børresen Memorial Trophy on the opening day of the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup 2023 in Torquay.
Despite extremely shifty conditions and tense competition at the front of the fleet, Lawrie Smith, sailing with Ruaridh Scott, Goncalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow, ultimately got the upper hand to win the Børge Børresen Memorial Trophy.
Smith had led at the first mark, but there we half a dozen in contention from the outset and the race lead changed at virtually every mark of the gruelling 10-mile-long windward leeward course.
It was only on the final beat into the line that Smith fully regained control to cross ahead of Denmark’s Bo Johansen.
Japan’s Y-Red Yanmar Racing Team helmed by Peter Gilmour was third and reigning Dragon World and European Champion Wolf Waschkuhn of Switzerland fourth.
Belgium’s Xavier Vanneste took fifth by a whisker from Australia’s Peter Cooke with Austria’s Christoph Skolaut seventh and first Corinthian.
The Race Committee has advised the competitors to be ready to start on time at 12:00 for Monday’s racing.
Five races remain to be sailed between now and the conclusion of the regatta on Friday 15 September and the results of all races count.
Dragon Gold Cup 2023 – Leaders after day 1, 1 race (49 entries)
1st GBR815 ALFIE Lawrie Smith Glandore – – 1 – – 1 pts
2nd DEN423 Deja vu ver, 2.0 Bo Johansen Hornbaek – – 2 – – 2 pts
3rd JPN56 YRed Peter Gilmour BSYC – – 3 – – 3 pts
4th SUI318 1quick1 Wolf Waschkuhn Royal Southern YC – – 4 – – 4 pts
5th BEL82 Herbie Vanneste Xavier Royal North Sea YC – – 5 – – 5 pts
6th AUS551 YeahNah Pete Cooke Royal Forth YC – – 6 – – 6 pts
7th AUT204 Diavel III Christoph Skolaut UYC Wolfgangsee – C – – 7 – – 7 pts
8th GER1221 Sapphire Jan Woortman NRV – – 8 – – 8 pts
9th NED309 Furie de Groot Guus KWV de Kaag – – 9 – – 9 pts
10th CAY9 Saturn Peter Cunningham CN de Tavira – – 10 – – 10 pts