Tasmanian Take Home Double, 2013 Melges 32 Australian Championships and Asia Pacific Cup Series

Today Sydney Harbour was picturesque, clear, sunny, a light shifting five to ten knot wind from the South, South East in stark contrast to the conditions faced by the Melges 32 fleet yesterday.    Middle Harbour Yacht Club made the best of conditions on offer and finished the series, nine races in total.  

Day three began with newcomer to the class Chris Way Easy Tiger III and Greg Prescott 2 Unlimited on equal points, Gus Reid Maxstar applying pressure one point behind.  Prescott’s  2 Unlimited almost served up the regatta crossing the line fourth in race six leaving  Easy Tiger III ready to pounce on the Championship Title.  Race seven finished and 2 Unlimited claimed the gun only one second ahead of Maxstar as Prescott  began to mount a comeback.  Prescott  was able to narrowly repeat  the victory in race eight.  Prescott’s crew could smell success as they sailed a shortened course for the final race, tactician Chris Nicholson picking the shifts to claim the overall lead and the title of 2013 Melges 32 Australian Champions.   The Tasmanian team 2 Unlimited representing the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania  included Chris Nicholson,  Darren Jones,  James Corrie,  Julian Salter, Russel Ely, Oliver Nicholas and Mark Jeffery.  Although the final scoresheet shows six wins from nine starts, it doesn’t reflect the battles fought on the racecourse as the crew  kept their composure in difficult conditions to secure the win.

Melges 32 Australian Championships event sponsors Magic Marine were appropriate after the intense rain, wind and waves yesterday,  their racing apparel allowing crews to look professional and concentrate on what matters to win races.   Prizes provided by Quantum sails will be valued  after several sail mishaps in almost thirty knots of wind.

Celebrations moved to Middle Harbour Yacht Club Sandbar.  The  presentation was made including trophies and prizes provided by Magic Marine and Quantum Sails.   Podium places went to Gus Reid Maxstar in third,  Chris Way Easy Tiger III Second and Greg Prescott 2 Unlimited First.

The National Championships was the final event in the Melges 32 Asia Pacific Cup Series, a series of five events held throughout the racing calendar. Celebrations for 2 Unlimited continued into the evening  after  Heath Walters from Melges Asia Pacific presented the team with the coveted Asia Pacific Cup.  Greg was proud of the predominantly Tasmanian crew’s achievement and is looking forward to taking the cup back to Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania for pride of place.