| Australia. Audi Etchells Worlds: Strong international fleet to compete off Fremantle |
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| Monday, 30 October 2006 | |
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Event media: Unlike basketball, where the big guys have a height advantage, the Etchells fleet of 30 foot one design sailing boats brings everyone - almost regardless of height, weight or age - down to an 'even keel'. The 2006 Audi Etchells Worlds will be sailed off Fremantle, West Australia from November 17th to 25th. This is already being hailed as the best international fleet for many years with 28 Etchells having been shipped from overseas into Perth for this event. This class attracts the top guns. Dual Etchells World champion and sometime America's cup sailor Dennis Conner is still racing competitively in this class at 60 years of age. As is Australia's John Bertrand, who sailed into the sporting history at the helm of Australia II in 1983. The stars of the class will be mostly sailing in the final pre-world regatta, the 2006 Slam Etchells Nationals, on 10 - 12th November. Both events will be sailed between Cockburn Sound in the south and Gage Roads to the north, a superb stretch of water just off the Port of Fremantle, sheltered by the outlaying Carnac and Garden Islands. Paperwork is flooding in so the full entry lists are far from settled, with some of the big guns still juggling schedules, but both events are clearly going to provide very close sailing and highly competitive fleets. Who can win? The Australians have history on their side. They have taken five of the last six Etchells Worlds contested in Australia in the last two decades. As well as John Bertrand, the top Australians include Sydney sailor Rob Brown, one of Bertrand's 1983 crew and the 2006 Audi Etchells Australian champion. He was also third at the Syd Corser regatta. Cameron Miles from Pittwater, NSW is one of the most consistent performers on the Etchells scene. Miles has been on the podium in the four Etchells championships he has contested since his 1999 World Championship win. Miles is in the middle of a busy season, he's been sailing offshore on the canting keel Wild Joe and will be helming the new Reichel Pugh 54 Yendys to Hobart. The winner of the Syd Corser regatta, Victorian Mark Bulka, is also a top contender. Bulka had never sailed in the west before and found the conditions shifty, but still managed to place in the top spot, showing determination and tactical awareness. Bulka felt the locals did have an advantage. Rob Bird, the current State champion and 2004 Masters World Champion demonstrated that once he got on the course, he knew where to sail. Michael Manford, who won two races in the Mooloolaba Worlds in 2003, and was also runner up in the Syd Corser, has to be amongst the front runners. Another Australian II veteran and WA local, Skip Lissiman is in improving form, showing tenacity after a slow start to sail up the fleet in the last two days of the Corser event. From Queensland, Mark (Squark) Bradford sailing with Graeme Taylor (GT) and Steve Jarvin, form a talented and experienced team that could threaten the others. Keep an eye on North's Sydney team, an awesome foursome, with Michael Coxon, and Julian Plante with Nick Garland and Matt Day. The international contingent 49 year old Jud Smith, who just won the 2006 North American titles for the third time in a row sailing in strong breezes to win at Buzzard's Bay, leads a strong US squad. The Connecticut sailor has been on the Leaderboard sailing Etchells since the 1980's. Smith has not won the world titles, yet. Last year he was close, as he led going into the last day, but his OCS cost him dearly. He was second in 2003 in Greenwich CT, second in 1996, 1994 and 1986 and is keen to cast off the bridesmaid's dress. The UK squad, looking towards June's 2007 Championship in Cowes, with the favourites from that group being Stuart Childerley the 2001 and 2002 World Champion, and the 2006 British and European champion. This squad also includes current second placed European Etchells sailor, Andy Beadsworth and brothers Ante and Nils Razmilovic. Other entries include four Irish crews, including the winner of the Audi Etchells Irish Nationals Dan O'Grady. There are three Kiwi crews including the 2006 National Champion Alistair Gair and crews from Hong Kong and Bermuda all in with a chance. The talent, experience and relative strengths of the assembling fleet will certainly make this year's Slam Etchells Nationals and the following Audi Etchells Worlds one of the most exciting to date. The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) and the Royal Perth Yacht Club (RPYC) are the host clubs, with the Fremantle Sailing Club providing the venue. Slam Advanced Technology Sportswear is sponsoring the Slam Etchells Australian titles. More information is online now at www.etchellsworlds2006.org |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 30 October 2006 ) |
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