Day 2 of the Australian Marblehead Championships.


Feb 20, 2025

The 2025 Australian Marblehead Championships at Montrose Bay, Tasmania, witnessed a series of exhilarating races on Day 2 of the Championships.

Scott Condie from Canberra MYC, sailing his Grunge AUS 06, showcased exceptional skill, securing multiple first-place finishes and maintaining a consistent lead. Greg Torpy of Eagleby RYC, also with a Grunge design (AUS 25), delivered strong performances, including several top-three placements, keeping the competition intense.

Andrew Reid from Albert Park MYC, with his Grunge AUS 74, remained a formidable contender, consistently finishing near the top, and sitting on equal points with Torpy at the end of Day 2

Local sailor Kyle Stewart of Risdon Brook RYC, navigating his Indie AUS 59, leveraged his familiarity with Montrose Bay's conditions to achieve commendable results and moving up into fourth overall in a countback from Victoria's Rob Nowak, adding to the event's dynamic and competitive atmosphere.

Montrose Bay served up a dynamic mix of conditions throughout the day, keeping skippers on their toes. The morning began with a light northerly breeze around 5 knots, providing tactical racing with plenty of opportunities for well-timed shifts. A bit of luck was needed if you got caught on the wrong side.

One feature of these events are the spectacular lunches! An early lunch was taken to allow the breeze to build. Once the breeze came in, it settled into the north.

As the day progressed, the wind gradually built, peaking at around 12 knots in the afternoon, accompanied by occasional gusts that rewarded those who could balance aggression with control. The water conditions mirrored the shifting breeze—mostly flat in the morning but developing a slight wind-driven chop by early afternoon, particularly along the windward leg, where precise boat handling became critical. By the final races in the late afternoon, the breeze eased slightly, settling into a more manageable 8 to 10 knots, allowing for fast, competitive racing in near-perfect Marblehead conditions.

While the front-runners battled for the podium, several skippers further down the rankings delivered impressive performances on Day 2. John Cole-Cook, who had some major problems on Day 1 came back with a flurry, found his rhythm with three well-earned heat wins in races 10,11 and 14,as well as some podium finishes in other races, demonstrating sharp tactics in the shifting Montrose Bay breeze. Cameron Clarke battled back from some major problems on Day 1 to make sure his journey to Tasmania wasn't in vain, but unfortunately local skipper John Hall hit a snag and was unable to continue. Hopefully everyone will be back on the water for the final day.

The racing showcased the depth of talent in the Australian Marblehead fleet, proving that persistence and adaptability are just as crucial as raw speed in the world of Marblehead sailing.

Results


PosName/ClubSail No.
/Design
NettTotal
1CONDIE, Scott
ACT/CANBERRA MYC
AUS 06
GRUNGE
35.060.0
2TORPHY, Greg
QLD/EAGLEBY RYC
AUS 25
GRUNGE
51.088.0
3REID, Andrew
VIC/ALBERT PARK MYC
AUS 74
GRUNGE
63.099.0
4NOWAK, Rob
VIC/ALBERT PARK MYC
AUS 17
GRUNGE
84.0114.0
5STEWART, Kyle
TAS/RISDON BROOK RYC
AUS 59
INDIE
91.0125.0
6OSBORNE, Brett
SA/ADELAIDE RCYRC
AUS 79
INDIE
108.0155.0
7JOYCE, Ray
TAS/RISDON BROOK RYC
AUS 57
GRUNGE
113.0155.0
8GOWER, John
QLD/EAGLEBY RYC
AUS 63
GRUNGE
117.0160.0
9NEWMAN, Mark
ACT/CANBERRA MYC
AUS 60
GRUNGE
121.0163.0
10COLE-COOK, John
TAS/RISDON BROOK RYC
AUS 12
F 6
153.0210.0
11BLACKWOOD, Lisa
TAS/RISDON BROOK RYC
AUS 35
F 6
158.0215.0
12RYAN, Chris
VIC/PATTERON LAKES RMYC
AUS 8
F 6
162.0215.0
13MARSHALL, Rod
TAS/RISDON BROOK RYC
AUS 81
MANTRA2
195.0246.0
14HARDING, Russell
NSW/ILLAWARRA RYC
AUS 32
INDIE
196.0253.0
15BENOIT, Bruce
NSW/ILLAWARRA RYC
AUS 21
PARADOX
204.0254.0
16MOLL, David
NSW/ILLAWARRA RYC
AUS 2
F 6
210.0267.0
17HALL, John
TAS/RISDON BROOK RYC
AUS 38
F 6
276.0333.0
18CLARKE, Cameron
QLD/GLADSTONE RCYC
AUS 174
ROK
281.0338.0

Category: Australia
Posted by: glennd