Local sailors eye international champs

HIGHWAY’S Patrick Harris and Jeremy Kriek added yet another trophy to their expansive collection with their unbeaten performance in the Flying Fifteen Match Racing hosted by Point Yacht Club at the weekend.

The team, which has been sailing together on Flying Fifteens for 15 years, kept their nose in-front of all their competitors in every single race as they crossed the line on race day.

Skipper, Patrick Harris said, “There was only once that we were chasing down another boat, and that was on Saturday when Campbell and Andrew had a superb start. The whole weekend was fantastic. Saturday’s conditions were testing with the light breeze and Sunday was blustery as the wind came through in big gusts.”

Seven flights of racing commenced with two races in each flight. The final flight was sailed on Sunday morning as the breeze built to a decent 12knots for the first race. The top four teams then went into the semi-finals and the winners meeting in the final. Patrick and Jeremy met Thomas Funke and CJ Milln in the duel for gold and silver. From the get-go the two teams showed off their knowledge on the water, with a determined cat-and-mouse scenario playing out from the moment the first flag was raised.

“Going up against Thomas in the final, who has so much international experience, was exciting. He was completely on the ball,” said Patrick.

The duo have their eyes set on the Flying Fifteen World Championships in Ireland in two years’ time, “Jeremy and I have competed in two world champs, in 2007 in Spain and then in Hayling Island in 2011. If the bodies are able, then we are keen.”

The next big event for the dinghies is the Bar Anniversary Mug at the end of the month, with the yachts taking part in a feisty pursuit race.