USMCA NEWS

NEWS

REID COLLINS WINS MELBOURNE MELGES 24 REGATTA

30 OCTOBER 2006 • Article courtesy of Mary Anne Ward • The day began with clear skies and warm temperatures. The winds were a steady 12-15 from the North and the racers ready. The top boats from yesterday were challenged by the whole fleet today as racing was much closer than yesterday.

Ryan Hamm, in his final event as owner of When Pigs Fly, had us all wondering yesterday if he thought this was a swimming event when three of his crew went overboard (the lifelines broken right after a tack). Today he was the boat to get past. Winning the start of both races and leading at the first windward and leeward mark rounding of each race, Ryan looked set to have a stellar day but it was not to be.

In Race 1 Comet, skippered by Jeff Duval, started at the pin end and joined Ryan on the left for a close upwind leg. Desperate Measurers skippered by day one’s leader, Reid Collins, was third around the mark and brought the fleet in with him. Sick Puppy, helmed by Steve Jones, really worked the downwind and was neck and neck with When Pigs Fly only to round up during a difficult take down. A great recovery and upwind speed had the winner of the race determined by the last tack at the finish line. Sick Puppy beat When Pigs Fly by less than a foot. Desperate Measures finished third for his worst finish in the regatta.

Race 2 started much the same as Race 1 with Ryan winning the start. At the weather mark Ryan was again in the lead with Reid coming on his heels. Reid gybed first and headed off to the left side of the course, Ryan gybed a few boat lengths later. This leg Ryan had great boat speed and by the leeward mark had an 8 boat length lead on the fleet. Reid, Jeff and John Harrison rounded next. Ryan held on for the second weather rounding to keep first but Reid had gained on him and was close on his transom. Steve Jones rounded the offset just after Reid but had a hole in their spinnaker, leaving us to wonder if the spinnaker would last the leg. Downwind Ryan and Reid split the course with Ryan going left and Reid digging into the right. Showing the same great downwind speed we saw on day one, Reid managed to get past Ryan. Steve’s spinnaker did make it through the leg but he couldn’t get past Ryan and Reid. Reid won the final race with Ryan taking a second and Steve Jones in third.

Jeff Duval of Comet said “I love coming to race in Melbourne. Today was about covering the competition. Randy, Rick and Debby did a great job and we never wiped out.”

FULL RESULTS