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10:13 AM Wed 7 Jan 2009 GMT
 | | 'Anthony Nossiter doing his stuff in Race 4 - International Finn Class 2009 Musto Australian Championships'
Greg Pratt |
While most of his sailing in the past 12 months has been geared towards the light winds of Beijing, Anthony Nossiter has shown that he has lost nothing when it comes to sailing in big breezes as has been the case during the first half of the 2009 Musto Finn National Championships.
With the last two days producing winds in excess of 20 knots, Nossiter has left many in the Finn fleet in awe as he has powered through the big seas off North Haven to claim victory in five of the six races, well on his way to an unprecedented 8th Australian title.
Pushing Nossiter all the way has been 1995 Laser World Champion Nik Burfoot and Australian Sailing Development Squad members James Paterson and Warwick Hill. Burfoot was the pick of the bunch on the first day of the regatta claiming a first and a second and demonstrating some brilliant upwind tactical sailing in the 15 knot sea breeze.
Hot on his footsteps and trailing by only a few points, Paterson is starting to show the form that led to his first grade 1 win at SIRS last month. In today's 20-25 knot southerly Paterson showed his superior heavy air sailing as he muscled his way through the confused two metre seas to claim a second and a third.
With two days remaining and tomorrow's forecast predicting another day of big breezes the sailing will undoubtedly be actioned packed.
Series Results up to Race 4:
1 Anthony Nossiter NSW 6.00 1.00 1.00 3.00 1.00
2 Nick Burfoot NSW 8.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 2.00
3 James Paterson SA 12.00 2.00 4.00 2.00 4.00
4 Warwick Hill VIC 14.00 4.00 3.00 4.00 3.00
5 Jake Gunther VIC 23.00 7.00 5.00 6.00 5.00
6 John Shallvey VIC 25.00 5.00 6.00 5.00 9.00
7 Mark Roberts SA 31.00 6.00 9.00 10.00 6.00
8 Bob Buchanan NSW 32.00 8.00 7.00 7.00 10.00
9 John Condie NSW 33.00 9.00 8.00 9.00 7.00
10 Aaron Heritage SA 38.00 11.00 11.00 8.00 8.00
11 Andrew Pollard VIC 45.00 10.00 12.00 12.00 11.00
12 Dirk Seret SA 50.00 12.00 10.00 11.00 17.00C
13 Shaun Wells NSW 52.00 13.00 14.00 13.00 12.00
14 Max Fry VIC 57.00 14.00 15.00 15.00 13.00
15 Neville Wild SA 59.00 15.00 16.00 14.00 14.00
16 Brian Reynolds VIC 64.00 17.00S 13.00 17.00C 17.00C
by Mark Roberts
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