Line 7 Sunburst & 3.7 National Championships
Results
Click on Final Sunburst results.pdf for Sunburst results
Click on Final 37 results .pdf for 3.7 results
Summary of Line 7 Sunburst & 3.7 National Championships 2003
Held at Wakatere Boating Club, Auckland 18 -20th April
Weather Tests Champions
Sunburst Nationals
After three days of racing the final positions in the Sunburst nationals were determined only in the last two races held on Sunday. Defending champion, Wellington sailor Brett Linton of the Worser bay Yacht Club, narrowly beat Grant Bourke of Auckland's Wakatere Boating Club. Only 5 points separated Brett Linton, Grant Bourke and Greg Wright, also of the Worser Bay Yacht Club, in third place. The Wellington visitors relished the strong easterly winds, reflected by the fact that Worser Bay crews filled four of the first seven places.
In testing conditions on Saturday and Sunday the 43 competitors, from more than 30 yacht clubs throughout New Zealand, enjoyed close racing. The repair shop will be busy however with two masts down, broken rudders, broken booms, snapped mainsheets and other breakages.
3.7 Nationals
Only a countback after the final race decided the outcome of the 3.7 regatta with Matt Davies of Murrays Bay the winner ahead of defending champion Lance O'Connell of Rotorua. The weather conditions over the final two days of competition provided exciting, high speed action on the water. Clearly the conditions tested both skippers and boats with reigning World 470 Champion Simon Cooke dropping into third place after a broken rudder in race 4.
Commentary on Day 2 of Line 7 Sunburst & 3.7 National Championships 2003
Held at Wakatere Boating Club, Auckland
The conditions proved testing today with 15 knots making many skippers and crews work hard. Plenty of capsizes and gear breakages proved costly for some visitors to this regatta.
In the Sunbursts only one point separates the first two skippers. Brett Linton of Worser Bay is ahead of Grant Burke of Wakatere. These two fought it out last year and had to be separated by count back. Tomorrow's final two races will be crucial. Strong winds are forecast - watch the drama.
Brad Davies of St Kentigern leads Hayden Bruce of Otago Boys High in the Secondary School division of the Sunbursts.
In the 3.7 competition a disaster for Simon Cooke, World 470 Champ, a broken rudder has put huge pressure on him for the last two races tomorrow. Matt Davies of Murrays Bay leads from Grant Loretz of Wakatere by 7 points after 5 races. Tomorrow's races can still define the outcome of this competition..
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