NZ ILCA (Laser) Nationals Day 3 - Extremely close contests a feature in the ILCA 6

ILCA 6 start Day 3 - ILCA (Laser) NZ National Championship - Napier - January 2023 © Richard Beauchamp

Day 3 of the NZ ILCA (Laser) Nationals Day was again a great days sailing.

We had a nice Napier NE sea breeze all day, but it was more variable than yesterday for today's three races. After a delay of half an hour while the breeze settled in todays first race was held in a brisk 15 knots of breeze, although this did start to ease later in the race. Race 2 was much lighter and patchier, maybe averaging 8 knots and then it picked up a little more for the third race. There was a decent chop all day, which offered some good downhill rides, particularly in the first race. PRO Andrew Kearney again set an excellent course and there was close racing throughout all the fleets.

Even though conditions were similar to yesterday there were significant shake ups in the standings in the ILCA 6 fleet. Overall it was a great day for the women, with Naomi Ferrissey enjoying a stellar day, winning one race and getting second in both the others, to move right to the top of the standing. She now leads on count back from overnight leader Greta Pilkington, who had a consistent but not spectacular day, with her best a third in the third race. Aussie visitor Frances Beebe started off with bang, winning the first race and ending the day 3rd overall to complete the women trifecta at the top of the table with one day to go. Miro Luxford (Youth Boys) also had a great day, improving with every race and capping it off by taking the gun in the last race of the day.

George Lane leads the Mens ILCA 6 division and is in 4th overall, while Louie Poletti leads the Youth Boys in 5th overall. Chloe Turner had a consistent day to lead the Youth Girls. In every ILCA 6 category the titles are still well and truly open. At the top of the overall table it is really close, with no less than 7 sailors within 10 points of the lead and all still with a realistic chance at the overall title with the two races remaining tomorrow.

The situation is a bit different in the other fleets.

Nik Burfoot (M) again had a dominant day, winning all three races in the ILCA 7 to take a solid lead overall into tomorrow's final races. Scott Leith (M) and George Pilkington (Open) remain within striking distance, although Scott had a very testing 3rd race, withdrawing after tying himself in knots as he unexpectedly found life in the bunch more complicated than when one is clear ahead! Behind the leading three, GM's Andrew Dellabarca and Rohan Lord continue a close contest for the GM title and 4th and 5th overall while Master Kris Decke continues to lie 6th. Kris managed to lead race 3 for a good while, but eventually got gobbled up by the 3 leaders. Our ever consistent Irish visitor Bill O'Hara continues to lead the GGM's, while Worser Bays Simon Beck demonstrated that it is possible for mere mortals to break into the leading bunch with his 5th in the last race.

In the ILCA 6 Masters the days races followed what has become a normal pattern at this contest, with Master Phil Wild dominating with three bullets while Ed Tam (M), Werner Hennig (GM) and Dave Johnson (M) slug it out for the minor overall placings and close contests continue for the GGM and Women titles slightly further down the order. Both Ed and Dave suffered UFD's in todays first race, so will need to be on their best behaviour tomorrow to secure their top placings.

In the ILCA 4 Tom Pilkington continued his clean sweep, but there is a really close contest for the minor placings with Lucy Millar, Hermione Aris and Laura Yang all trading places and all are in with a chance of the other podium spots.

So with two races left tomorrow, and lighter winds forecast, there is still plenty of opportunity and plenty to play for before all the titles are decided and the cubes are handed out.

Results after Day 3

Day 3 results