Conditions today were similar to yesterday but a wee bit lighter for the Standards. 15 knot Easterly with quite big waves were the order of the day, think Takapuna in a solid sea breeze but with bigger waves.

The conditions brought another good day for the Kiwi team overall. 

The Radial squad had a particularly solid day. Scott is up to second in the Apprentices with a 1/2 scoreline to put him second overall 2 points behind Jon Emmett from the UK in a “who’s going to blink first” battle for the rest of the series. Ed is also having a great series to lie 4th with a 5/5 scoreline today. The Team Blakey Radial rep Richard had a great day with a 3/6 to lie 6th overall in the Masters Radial fleet of 73 who are starting as a single division………..long start line! Mike Keeton had another fantastic day in the GM Radials with 2/2, now dropping a 2nd as a discard to be in an extremely strong lead in his fleet. Bruce and Richard had mixed days in the GM Radial fleet. I did not see them after sailing but suspect that swimming may have been the fitness activity for the day.

Disappointing aspect of the day…..For those of you who followed yesterdays report you will know that Steve Phillips managed a swim free day and offered some others of us coaching as a consequence at the bar last night. I have to report that while the coaching may have had excellent results (I managed to stay in the boat) his swim free record suffered a blemish today.

In the Standards Team Blakey was again strong. Matt looked like he had another strong day in the Apprentices although the results have yet to be posted. In the GM’s we finally started to put it together with one day left in the qualifying series. To quote Pete "by the end of the regatta I will just about be ready to start a competitive series". He scored approx 20/5 to consolidate his position heading for the middle ranks of the gold fleet but the 5th showed just how competitive he can be in the conditions when he gets it right. I managed to stay in the boat, not hit anyone or any thing and stay upright ( thanks I am sure to Steve Phillips coaching last night) to get two top 10 finishes, which should considerably improve my overall standing. Paul Thomas had a couple of solid races, but still has a slightly mystified look in his eye as to how, at about 17 feet tall, he isn’t blowing the fleet asunder. Bob in the GGM Standards continues to closely pursue his nemesis, Aussie Mark Bethwaite, and will no doubt get the better of him at some stage over the remaining 3 days.

So we are now at the half way point of the contest with great prospects for several of the team. Tomorrow and Friday are forecast to be more of the same, fresh onshore breezes, but it looks like the final day could be rain with lighter winds which may well provide a different test ahead of the final results if Windguru is to be believed.

Nick Page