Action-packed racing sees Australia, France and USA qualify for Final Four

Today saw the most challenge conditions to date in the World Championship. With a moderate wind forecast of 8 – 11 knots, competitors has to drastically change gears in each race today, as conditions ranged from 4 to 26 knots on the Harbour.

As racing got underway at 1200hrs, a very light north-wester struggled to stay in, resulting in some massive margins between the boats on the race course. However, after a 30 minute delay, a very hot, dry westerly settled in from western Sydney, pulsing underneath Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge, delivering tough conditions.

In the first Quarter-Final pairings, reigning World Champions, Team USA, skippered by Jeffrey Petersen came out firing against Tom Higgins from Ireland. Petersen was able to overcome his competitor rather quickly, winning all three races to be the first to book a berth in the semi-finals.

However, the other three Quarter Finals, saw each pairing use all five races to determine a winner. In Quarter Final Two, Australia’s Will Sargent and Brazil’s Nicolas Bernal traded leads on nearly every leg of their series, with the Australian eventually coming out on top 3–2.

In the third quarter final pairing, young French skipper Ange Delerce was able to defeat late World Championship entry Robbie McCutcheon from New Zealand. For McCutcheon, it was a bitter pill to swallow following a close tussle in Race 5, following the kiwi black flagging the French in Race 4 to even the series.

Finally, Australia’s Cole Tapper staged in the biggest comeback of the competition so far when he levelled then took out his quarter-finals over France’s Timothee Rossi, after being 0 – 2 down after the opening two races. The Australians fought back hard and sailed away with excellent boat speed and manoeuvres to qualifying for the Top Four.

Following the quarter-finals, Team USA then selected France for the semi-finals, leaving the two Australian teams, both representing the host Club, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia to face each other.

Today also saw the first of a two-day live broadcast by Event Media Parnter, Sail Media. The coverage, which is available on the CYCA Youth Sailing Academy Facebook page produced some amazing vision and footage of the epic action from the water.

Tomorrow, Event Media Partner, Sail Media will once again produce the live broadcast of the racing, starting at 1140hrs (AEDST).

Come Friday, spectators can now also book tickets on the Official Spectator Vessel, a Rosman Ferry, thanks to Noakes Group via the CYCA website.

Text and images courtesy of Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.