Wangi F18 regatta press release

[Guest mlaruffa]

Wangi Wangi Sailing Club Pre Xmas Regatta

Lake Macquarie NSW Australia played host to possibly one the hottest F18 fleets in the world with past and present world Champions, current Australian F18 and Tiger Champions along with Olympic silver medallists.

First Race 20 knts plus,

Race win went to Brad and Kevlar on there Tiger from Mark Laruffa on the Capricorn and Darren Bundock representing Hobie.

Second Race 20 knts plus

Win went to the Capricorn of Mark Laruffa, Darren Bundock had a Swim which let Brad and Kevlar through to Second and third was Australian F18 champ Neville Thompson.

Third Race 20knts plus

Greg Goodall led around the top mark but could not hold out Brad and Kevlar and ended up second behind the Hobie Sports Team with Third going to Darren Bundock. Neville Thompson went for a swim.

DAY TWO

Saw more of the same with 20knt plus in the first race followed by the breeze increasing to 25knts in the second.

Fourth Race

Mark Laruffa Led around the windward and Leeward buoy. Mark’s return to sailing after nearly a 4 year break showed glimpses of his past, but failed to respond to the pressure from Sumner and made a costly mistake that saw him have a swim, this let Olympian Darren Bundock through to take Second place followed by Australian F18 Champ Neville Thompson.

Fifth Race

Darren Bundock led the first top buoy rounding and looked like his years of Olympic training would see a run away win, but the ever improving Team of Scott Babbage and Mark Laruffa with new F18 Capricorn, from down at the first rounding in fifth place managed to work their way to lead Bundock around the top mark for the last time, but Darren Bundock’s experience with kites saw him take the lead to finish 2 boat lengths from Mark Laruffa and Greg Goodall brought the second of the Capricorn's home for a third place. Brad Sumner playing safe in the conditions finished in fourth place and securing the regatta win from Australian Olympic silver medallist Darren Bundock in Second with the Capricorn of Mark Laruffa 1 point behind.

The next major Formula 18 regatta is likely to the New South Wales F18 Titles held in conjunction with the Nacra New South Wales titles early next year. For more information keep an eye on the Australian f18 website.

Final Results (No Drops)

Hobie Sports Team, Brad Sumner 1 2 1 1 4 (9)

Hobiecat Aus Darren Bundock 3 4 3 2 1 (13)

Team Capricorn Mark Laruffa 2 1 4 5 2 (14)

Team Capricorn Greg Goodall 4 dnf 2 6 3 (23)

Grafton Glass Hobie Michael Carr 6 5 5 4 6 (26)

Hobie Nev Thompson 7 3 dnf 3 5 (27)

Nacra F18 Chris Brewin 5 7 6 dnc dnc (40)

Tiger Brian Gatt 9 6 7 dnc 7 (40)

Nacra F18 B Nixon 8 dnf 8 dnc dnc (48)