RESULTS ARE NOW POSTED HERE/RACE REPORTS/ PICTURES HERE
Peter McIntosh, Thursday, 31 December 2009 
 
THURSDAY, heats 5 and 6
Only one point separates the first two senior leaders after six races in the Australian Sabot Championships at Gosford.
Victoria’s Oliver Kalkopas in Tenacious and Gosford’s Vardon Robson in Thunderstruck have both sailed very consistently in conditions ranging from light to moderate on Brisbane Water.
Robson’s teammate Kirk Mitchell is sitting in third spot in Easy Tiger closely followed by Sydney’s James Brewer, Dylan Passmore and Paddy Gilbert.
Kalkopas had a great day on Thursday with a first in the fifth race and a third in the sixth, while Brewer enjoyed two second placings and Gilbert his second first placing.
Gosford competitors in the top 20 include Kurt Hansen (11th), Henry Makin 12th, Matt Lang (17th) and Bradley Leicester (19th). Of this group, Leicester had the best day leading for much of the way in the fifth race to finish fourth and backing it up with a sixth placing in the sixth.
A total of 63 Sabots are competing in the senior division, with an 8-10 knot nor-easterlie on the menu on Thursday.
In the 18-strong junior division Gosford’s Sophie McIntosh and Jordan Makin in Double Diamond recorded two second placings on Thursday and their lead will not look quite so comfortable when drops come into play. Clubmates Blake and Ashleigh Robson in Black Pearl enjoyed their first win in the championship and backed it up with a third placing in the sixth race which was won by South Queenslanders Lily Geck and Carlton Smith in Kid Blast.
Many of the visitors relaxed and enjoyed an impressive fireworks display at Gosford waterfront on New Year’s Eve. The final four heats are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
TUESDAY, Heats 1 and 2:
In sailing, they say you score a bullet when you win a race on scratch.
Today under a shotgun start Sophie McIntosh and Jordan Makin scored two bullets in the first two races of the Australian Sabot Championships and they will get the shotgun cartridges as souvenirs to prove it.
The junior sailors, both aged 11, sailing in Double Diamond celebrated with teammates Blake and Ashleigh Robson in Black Pearl, who finished second in both races, after the first day of racing on Brisbane Water in the 10-race championship being hosted by their home club Gosford Sailing Club.
The steady south-easterly breeze of 10-15 knots was ideal for the opening races involving a bumper field in this the 46th National Championships and Sabot Week.
The junior races , involving Sabots with both skipper and crews, were keenly contested with only seconds between the three leaders throughout. Third place in both races went to Drummoyne’s Dana and Jessica Tavener in Firebolt, the race results mirroring this year’s NSW state results.
Meanwhile in the keenly contested 63-strong senior fleet, NSW state champion Paddy Gilbert from Hunters Hill in Predator and Victorian Oliver Kalpokas in Tenacious each recorded a first and a sixth to sit at the top of the table with plenty of racing still to come.
South Queensland’s Joel Turner is handy in third, along with James Brewer from Hunters Hill in fourth spot and Gosford’s Vardon Robson, fifth.
Other prominent Gosford competitors included Kirk Mitchell (eighth) and Henry Makin (10th).
The Sabot championships are being sponsored this year by Robson Civil Projects, Laser suppliers Performance Sailcraft Australia along with Ronston and Zhik.
The leader after the first two races in the senior division Sabot Week, a parallel regatta for sailors not competing in the nationals, is Conquistador’s Zane Comadira, from South Queensland, who also scored two bullets.
The junior leaders are Stephanie and Ben Markey in Wahoo, from South Queensland.
Wednesday, heats 3 and 4
Thunderstruck, skippered by Gosford’s Vardon Robson, bolted to the lead after the second day of racing in the 46th Australian Sabot Championships on Brisbane Water.
Vardon recorded his first win today and thanks to consistent high placings is 7 points clear of South Queenslander Joel Turner in the 63-strong senior division.
Southern NSW competitor Dylan Passmore is currently just behind Turner in third spot and Victorian Oliver Kalpokas is fourth with a first and second placing to his credit.
As the southerly system gradually lost strength and the wind eased from 12 knots and shifted to the east course changes were required but principal race officer Huge Leicester and his team handled the tricky conditions efficiently and with minimal delays between races.
Northern NSW sailors had a pretty pleasing day on their home turf with Kirk Mitchell recording his first win in the fourth race to be fifth overall and Matt Lang placing third in the third race. Teammates Kurt Hansen and Henry Makin recorded their best results in the fourth race with a seventh and eighth respectively and lightweight Bradley Leicester pulled off a ninth.
In the junior fleet of 18, Gosford’s Sophie McIntosh and Jordan Makin in Double Diamond consolidated their lead with a first and second, nine points clear of Dana and Jessica Tavener, of Drummoyne. The pirates, Gosford’s Blake and Ashleigh Robson in Black Pearl, are currently third and having recorded three second placings they remain firm title chances with six races remaining and a possible two drops to come into play.
Tasmanians Thomas Cooper and Isabella Millhouse lead much of the fourth race but fell victim to the wind shifts and instead South Queensland’s Lily Geck and Carlton Smith notched up their first victory in a shortened race.
The championships have been sponsored by Robson Civil Projects and Performance Sailcraft Australia, with daily prizes being awarded by Ronstan, Zhik and the Australian Reptile Park.
FINAL WRAP-UP
GOSFORD has a new pair of national sailing champions, with Sophie McIntosh and Jordan Makin winning the junior division of the 46th Australian Sabot Championships on Brisbane Water.
And the pair in Double Diamond are also celebrating teammate Vardon Robson's third placing in seniors after the week-long competition involving 63 seniors and 36 juniors.
McIntosh and Makin, both aged 11, set up an early lead in the junior championship with wins in the first three races and were second in the next three races.
Three others, including teammates Blake and Ashleigh Robson in Black Pearl, managed to beat them in other races but were unable to match their consistency.
Going into the seventh of nine races on Sunday, they managed to fight back from fourth position to win that critical heat and nail the championship. After the final two races, their aggregate tally of 10 points put them four points clear of late challengers Lily Geck and Carlton Smith, from South Queensland in Kid Blast, who managed three wins. Black Pearl, on 16 points, was third overall, one position better than at last year's nationals.
McIntosh has been sailing Sabots since she was five but Makin only started sailing last season and the pair have already enjoyed NSW State and NSW Sprint title victories.
The wind throughout the Robson Civil Projects and Laser sponsored championships ranged from moderate to light with regular showers proceeded by stronger breeze. The variable conditions led to some races being shortened.
In the senior division, James Brewer from Hunters Hill swept past leaders Victorian Oliver Kalpokas and Gosford's Vardon Robson, thanks to two wins in the final three races.
Teammate Kirk Mitchell in Easy Tiger was fifth and also scored the ballot prize for the top 10 seniors winning a charter 4.7 Laser to sail in during the next youth nationals. Gosfords' Bradley Leicester in Final Edition won the handicap honours, with third and fourth placings personals highlights.
Gosford's Matt Lang was just outside the top 10 in 11th spot (best heat 3rd), followed by teammates Kurt Hansen (12th, best 4th) and Henry Makin (16th, best 8th).
Meanwhile in Sabot Week, a parallel regatta for competitors not involved in the nationals, South Queensland's Zane Comadira in Conquistador dominated the 40-strong senior fleet winning all but one race. That went to second overall Sabot Week competitor and teammate Nick Eutick. South Queenslanders also dominated the junior section with Stephanie and Ben Markey winning over Hugo and Anton Van Buuren. Handicap honours went to South Queenslander Seamus Byrt whose crew Danielle Hughes lives at Teralba. South Queensland won the junior team trophy and Southern NSW the senior team trophy.
Lionel Shipway medals were presented to Alexandra Price from Tasmania, Adam Bloomfield from SNSW and Bradley Leicester from NNSW.
Well done to Benjamin Leadbetter who injured his ankle early in the regatta, but toughed it out for a few more races in the New Year.
Scratch results have been posted here, full results are on the ANSC website.
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