10:35 AM Sat 28 Feb 2009 GMT
Prince Philip Cup and Sayonara Cup winning yachtsman Nick Rogers is heading for another championship victory, today sailing Karabos IX to five straight wins on the opening day of the International Dragon class Tasmanian title.
Sailing with the same crew as he had in Sydney in January, Leigh Behrens and Simon Burrows, Rogers excelled on his home waters as a summer seabreeze swept up the Derwent.
The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania is conducting the United Financial Services State titles for the two international classes, the Dragons and the J24s, with a seven race regatta over the weekend.
While Karabos IX comfortably won all five races today, racing was close for minor placings between Aquila (Jock Young) with four seconds and a third and Mystere (Wayne Waggs) with four thirds and a second.
The competition was much closer in the J24 States, with Rowan Clark steering Gridlock to three wins, a second and a third, Craig Squires in Devine Madness notching up a win, two seconds and two thirds and Kaye Roberts in Kaos scoring a win, two seconds, a third and fourth.
After five races, Gridlock is on eight points, Devine Madness on 11 and Kaos on 12 points.
'It was really great racing out for the one-design classes,' RYCT sailing manager Nick Corkhill commented. 'We had a consistent seabreeze all afternoon on the mid-river course.'
Not so for the 14 yachts that set sail this morning from Castray Esplanade in the RYCT's Green Island Race. 'They ran out of breeze down the Channel and by six o'clock this evening only the 20-metre Helsal II, skippered by Rob Fisher, had finished the long distance race,' Corkhill said.
by Peter Campbell
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