Quarter finals set at Warren Jones Youth Match Racing Regatta

Perth, Australia (January 30, 2014) – The eight skippers to qualify for the quarter finals of the Warren Jones International Youth Match Racing Regatta have been confirmed.

Although the intention of the race committee was to bring the start forward by an hour today, with the aim of catching up on the program schedule, the weather refused to cooperate. After one match was completed in the first flight, the program proper was not started again until close to 11am, when the first south westerly breeze reached the course.

The standard of competition in this Grade 2 event has thoroughly justified its status. Although the score sheet might suggest a wide gulf between those at the top and those near the bottom, the fact was underlined today that any one of these skippers is capable of beating the favourites.

Matt Jerwood had a mixed day today, losing matches to both David and Sam Gilmour and Chris Steele, to slip to third on the ladder. David Gilmour moved into top spot despite losing a match to Adam Middleton, while Chris Steele finished his campaign strongly, with just two losses, one to each of the Gilmour boys.

Sam Gilmour attracted the umpires’ attention again today, during a close and aggressive match with New Zealand’s Chris Staub, but emerged with a comfortable win.

The winning margins revealed just how close the contests were, and how easily the scores of individual skippers could have changed. There were four finishes in the last four flights which were decided by a second or less. The Japanese skipper Kohei Ichikawa is one who lost several races by the narrowest of margins.

In one of the last races of the day, Will Tiller, who sails with bare feet, lost his balance and landed heavily on a deck fitting, splitting open his foot. He completed the race and at the end of the day, was taken to a doctor to have the wound stitched. He is adamant that he will be fine to sail in the finals.

The draw for the quarter finals is:
David Gilmour (RFBYC) (purple spinnaker) vs Andy Green (CYCA, NSW) (orange spinnaker)
Chris Steele (RNZYS, NZL) (red spinnaker) vs Chris Poole (Riptide Racing, USA) (dark blue spinnaker)
Matthew Jerwood (SoPYC) (pink spinnaker) vs Tristan Brown (RFBYC) (black spinnaker)
Sam Gilmour (RFBYC) (light blue spinnaker) vs Will Tiller (green spinnaker)