British crews take lead after two races on the opening day of the 2024 Etchells World Championships in Fremantle, Western Australia.
Lawrie Smith (6, 1 ) sailing with Richard Parslow, Ruairiah Scott and Dave Hughes is tied for the lead on 7 pts with Graham Vials (3, 4) sailing with Billy Russell and Andrew Lawson.
With a high-pressure wind warning issued, the start times were brought forward to 10:00 hours, giving the race committee a solid chance to safely get the first two races away and locking results on the scoreboard.
Aussie Martin Hill (1, 13) with Noel Drennan, Sean O’Rourke and Nagisa Sakai won the opening race ahead of Raymond Smith, Alan Smith and Michael Hughes (2, 28).
Graham Vials, normally seen at the front of the Flying 15 fleet, took third, with Lawrie Smith sixth.
With the wind now building the fleet startied race 2 under the U flag in 20 knots, with a clear start.
With the “Fremantle Doctor” producing gusts of up to 24-26 knots, Smith took the second race ahead of Michael Jobin (25, 2) Keith Swinton, David Gilmour and Ned Breed of the USA.
Andy Beadsworth (9, 3) sailing with Brian Ledbetter and Ben Lamb finished third, with Vials taking fourth to tie the overall lead with Smith.
Australia’s Peter Merrington, Ian McKillop and Steve Jarvin scored a consistant 4 and 5 to take third overall with 9 pts, Beadsworth fourth with 12 pts, Martin Hill fifth with 14 pts.
Australia’s Graeme Taylor sailing with James Mayo and Richard Allanson had a 5 and 11 for the day to place sixth overall.
2024 Etchells World Championship – Leaders after 2 races (40 entries)
1st GBR Lawrie Smith-Richard Parslow / Ruairiah Scott / Dave Hughes – – 6, 1 – – 7 pts
2nd GBR Graham Vials-Billy Russell / Andrew Lawson – – 3, 4 – – 7 pts
3rd AUS Peter Merrington-Ian McKillop / Steve Jarvin – – 4, 5 – – 9 pts
4th USA Andy Beadsworth-Brian Ledbetter / Ben Lamb – – 9, 3 – – 12 pts
5th AUS Martin Hill-Noel Drennan / Sean ORourke / Nagisa Sakai – – 1, 13 – – 14 pts
6th AUS Graeme Taylor-James Mayo / Richard Allanson – – 5, 11 – – 16 pts
7th AUS Michael Manford-Dean McAullay / Nicholas Gray – – 8, 8 – – 16 pts
8th AUS David Dunn-Alexander Higgins / Ben Morrison-Jack – – 12, 6 – – 18 pts
9th HKG Mark Thornburrow-Malcolm Page / Mike Huang / Julian Plante – – 11, 9 – – 20 pts
10th AUS Chris Manton-Rodney Hagebols / Nigel Abbott – – 10. 14 – – 24 pts
11th AUS John Bertrand-George Richardson / Lewis Brake – – 13, 12 – – 25 pts
12th USA Michael Jobin-Keith Swinton / David Gilmour / Ned Breed – – 25, 2 – – 27 pts
13th AUS Mark Bradford-Will McCarthy / Anthony Nositer – – 21, 7 – – 28 pts
14th AUS Toby Richardson-Sam King / Dean Smith – – 7, 22 – – 29 pts
15th AUS Chris Hampton-Charlie Cumbley / Paul Childs – – 14, 15 – – 29 pts
16th AUS Raymond Smith-Alan Smith / Michael Hughes – – 2, 28 – – 30 pts
17th USA Scott Kaufman-Hugo Rocha / Gonzalo Ribera / Carlos Robles – – 19, 16 – – 35 pts
18th AUS Robin Deussen-Dave Snoad / Jesse Mitton – – 26, 10 – – 36 pts
19th AUS Peter Ahern-Gordon Blaauw / Mark Spearman – – 15, 27 – – 42 pts
20th AUS Jeanne-Claude Strong-Seve Jarvin / Sam Newton / Max Jameson – – 16, 26 – – 42 pts
21st AUS Mark Crier-Andy Fethers / Simon Cunningham – – 20, 24 – – 44 pts
22nd HKG Jamie McWilliam-Peter Austin / Jim Bittl – – 24, 21 – – 45 pts
23rd GBR David Maclean-Quentin Bes-Green / Harry Blowers – – 22, 23 – – 45 pts
24th GBR Shaun Frohlich-Duncan Truswell / Edward Wright – – 18, 29- – 47 pts
