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Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron sailor Jordan Reece has sailed back into calculations in the Hardy Cup on Sydney Harbour with four wins from four flights on a day of restricted sailing in light winds.
Reece, who is competing as the Estate Master Sailing Team powered by Etihad Airways, was the top helmsman today in an unfinished second round-robin in the Under 21 ISAF Grade 3 match racing regatta.
His most significant win was a 4 second victory over top New Zealand sailor Chris Steele, while in another close encounter he beat Cruising Yacht Club of Australia representative Jay Griffin by five seconds.
On day one, Reece and his crew had four wins and four losses to be fifth in standings and if they can continue their winning form in the remaining flights of the second round-robin they will be in the running to make the semi-finals.
Light and variable easterly winds frustrated both race officers and competitors, delaying the start for more than two hours.
Chris Steele, from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, won three of the five flights he contested today, while yesterday’s top team, RSYS 1, with David Chapman on the helm contested only three flights, for two wins and one loss.
Chapman had wins against the West Australian brothers, David Gilmour (Team Gilmour) and Sam Gilmour (Neptune Racing) but lost to CYCA 2 team, with Ashlen Rooklyn on the helm.
David Gilmour, 21, who won the Warren Jones International Youth Regatta in Perth last week, had just one win out of four flights today, while younger brother Sam, 19, had a better day with two wins and two losses.
Sam’s wins were against Ashlen Rooklyn and Chris Steele, the margin here just five seconds.
The Gilmours are the sons of former world champion match racing and America’s Cup helmsman Peter Gilmour. Their youngest brother, 16-year-old Lachlan recently won the Australian and Youth championships in the International 420 class in Hobart.
“We had two good wins today, but we really need two more wins tomorrow to have a chance of reaching the quarter finals,” Sam Gilmour said today.
Sam is sailing with three crew members to bring the team up to weight, including experienced American match racer Maggie Shea on mainsail. Adam Negri, from Perth, is on the bow, while making up the weight is 12-year-old Sydney lad, Paddy Dawson. Paddy’s older brother, Jack, is crewing for Ashlen Rooklyn,
“It was really shifty out their today, difficult to pick as the breeze moved from east to south-east and finally backed to north-east,” Gilmour added.
“We had a close race with Chris Steele but won comfortably against Ashlen Rooklyn after he incurred a pre-start penalty and was then over the line at the start,” Gilmour added.
Progressive placings (not in order of precedence) from the incomplete round-robin 2, with round robin 1 scores in brackets are:
Jordan Reece (RSYS, NSW) 4 wins/0 losses (4/4)
David Gilmour (RFBYC, WA) 1 win/3 losses (4/4)
Ashlen Rooklyn (CYCA, NSW) 2 wins/1 loss (6/2)
Jay Griffin (CYCA, NSW) 2 wins/3 losses (4/4)
Chris Steele (RNZYS, NZL) 3 wins/2 losses (5/3)
David Chapman (RSYS) 2 wins/1 loss (7/1)
Sam Gilmour (RFBYC) 2 wins/2 losses (3/5)
Adam Middleton (RPNYC, NZL) 2 wins/2 losses (2/6)
Nick Howe (RSYS, NSW) 0 wins/losses (0/8)
Banner photo by Mitch Watkins
