Table set for HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Champs

Sydney, AUS (November 25, 2017) – Just what the Race Officer ordered – another day of blue skies, good vibes and fantastic sailing on Pittwater for day 3 of the 2017 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship. Teams were greeted by a 15-18kt steady NE Breeze to finish off the quarter finals, 9-12 sail offs and semi-finals, allowing our race management team to fire through the draw and determine the 2017 finalists.

Leonard Takahashi (JAP) continued his dominating streak to win the quarter finals against Royal Port Nicholson team Callum Radford (3-0) and then elected to race against 4th placed skipper Jelmer Van Beek in the semi-finals. With clean pre-starts and tidy corners he then won the semi-final 3 – 0 to progress to the finals. Takahashi has made the finals, dropping only one race from the beginning of the regatta in stage 1, an impressive feat amongst elite competitors.

Finn Tapper of the C.Y.C.A sailed a closely matched semi-final against kiwi sailor James Wilson from the R.N.Z.Y.S. In their first match, a penalty was given to Wilson after a port – starboard collision. Tapper then stayed in phase with the breeze and sailed cleanly around the track to take the win. In their second match, Wilson evened the score, winning the pin and sailing to the favored side of the course to maintain his lead to the finish. He then continued his clean sailing in matches 3 and 4, to maintain the lead in both matches and take the second place in the finals against training partner Takahashi (JAP).

Not to be discounted, the 9 – 12 round robin sail offs showcased the talent of all of this year’s competitors with some of the closest finishes seen in the regatta so far. This year’s youngest team Eliott Quintin from Cercle Nautique Caledonien turned heads with their impressive boat handling skills and strong pre-starts. Local Sydney team from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron sailed a fantastic 9th to 12th round robin, winning all three matches and jumping from 12th to 11th in the final standings.

With yet another great weather forecast for tomorrow’s petite and finals day the finalists are gearing up in contention for the Rockin Robin.

Current standings:
1. Leonard Takahashi (JAP) – Pacific Racing Team
2. James Wilson (NZL) – Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
3. Finn Tapper (AUS) – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
4. Jelmer Van Beek (NED) – Team Dutch Wave
5. David Wood (USA) – Balboa Yacht Club
6. Callum Radford (NZL) – Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club
7. William Curtiss (USA) – Chicago Yacht Club
8. Porter Killian (USA) – Balboa Yacht Club
9. Sarah Parker (AUS) – The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
10. John Lynch (AUS) – Darwin Sailing Club
11. Charlotte Griffin (AUS) – The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
12. Eliott Quintin (New Cal) – Cercle Nautique Caledonien

Event details – Results – Facebook – Photos

The 25th annual HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship, hosted by The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Sydney, is scheduled from November 23 to November 26, 2017. Twelve teams will be competing for the Rockin’ Robin Perpetual Trophy in the RPAYC’s Elliot 7 performance keelboats, with a crew of four or five, all of whom must be under 23 years of age.

Competitors:

Source: Brendan Rourke, The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club