We made a very good start to be with the leaders going into Humbug and doing reasonably well to windward. Approaching Long nose Much Ado V pinched out from under giving us a dose of disturbed air so that we could not clear the point. By this stage the fleet ahead had cleared the point and were beating up the Snails Bay shore while we had to tack twice to get to the same line. We needed the lift to the point to stay with us for two more minutes but it was not cooperating so this was our first time loss. Three minutes from Goat Island Utopia was just ahead and below and Dump Truck crossed on port to get then next lift from the right and gain a minute by the Goat Island mark. Lisdillon from behind also went to the Goat Island shore and made a big gain on Passion X.
The reach back to Long Nose was uneventful until we were becalmed off of the point. Our GoPro footage shows the flat mirror like water around us and also shows us anxiously watching Lisdillon reach up from behind with wind and sail right past.
Eventually we got the wind and passed the point so that we could pole out the genoa and give chase. Normally we would expect to make us some ground but the wind was not cooperation and we sailed side by side with Lisdillon to Snapper Island without making up any time on the fleet.
Once back to the work to home we pulled clear of Lisdillon and with the short tacking felt we had a safe margin. It was not to be as we were knocked severely as soon as we tacked away from the Hunters Hill shore while Lisdillon on the Cockatoo shore lifted well above our line.
There was little to do but follow her home into the open waters leading into Humbug. Here we were the recipient of our own lift on starboard well above Lisdillon’s line and seeming like we might regain our lost ground. Ahead we could see the fleet on port tacking away from the Onions Point shore and they were not far ahead.
But then the wheels fell off. Passion X was knocked forty degrees and becalmed and now it was Lisdillon’s turn to pick up breeze ahead and lift above our line.
That might have been the end of the woes for the evening but once past Onion Point we were again becalmed and headed so that we had a slow pinch to the finish line.
Once across the line our luck ran out again as the following fleet, Ausreo, Fireball and Sweet Chariot carried fresh breeze and steamed to the finish line.
We finished 11th only one second behind Sweet Chariot and only 1 minute and 28 behind 5th placed Meridian. In between was Ausreo, Utopia, Fireball, Infotrack and Sweet Chariot while behind was Much Ado V and Dump truck only 16 seconds behind us.
Out in front on handicap by a large margin was Lisdillon followed by Agrovation, Jackpot and Joli.
On the progress scores we drop our 11th from tonight and include a 6th. We now drop back to third place behind Utopia and Joli with Jackpot just one point behind.
With three races to go and potential places as bad 15 points per race the race to the season finish is still wide open.
