Australian A Class Nationals- Invitation Race

The race was held in a soild 17-20kt NE sea breeze with some short steep waves making the conditions challenging to say the least.
A lot of capsizes in the fleet (including myself) but a fun race alround.
The downwind runs were more like delivery trips to stay safe, then push the boat hard upwind in race mode.

Boat held together really well and everything felt solid. Very happy.

Team Harken sailor James Spithill beat everyone to the top mark in the trying conditions but a capzise down the run put him back in the fleet.

The newest Team Harken member Steven Brayshaw finished in 4th spot with James in 8th and myself in 15th. Team member Jack Benson retied after a capsize to save energy for the real racing starting today in the same conditions. (could be a smart move)

Results below.

Place	Sail No	Bow No	Elapsd	Skipper	Score	Fin Tim	ETOrd	DidNot
1	AUS888	88	34:10	Darren Bundock	1.0	15:48:10	1
2	AUS321	32	35:18	Andrew Williams	2.0	15:49:18	2
3	AUS10	10	35:25	Brad Collett	3.0	15:49:25	3
4	AUS25	25	35:52	Stephen Brayshaw	4.0	15:49:52	4
5	AUS308	03	35:53	Andrew Landenberger	5.0	15:49:53	5
6	AUS972	16	36:00	Tom Slingsby	6.0	15:50:00	6
7	AUS975	12	36:19	James Spithill	7.0	15:50:19	7
8	AUS949	49	36:26	Dave Brewer	8.0	15:50:26	8
9	AUS973	15	36:28	Nathan Outteridge	9.0	15:50:28	9
10	AUS37	37	36:53	Bruce McArthur	10.0	15:50:53	10
11	AUS958	58	37:00	Simon McKeon	11.0	15:51:00	11
12	AUS20	20	37:16	Chris Batenberg	12.0	15:51:16	12
13	AUS7	07	37:45	Hamish Sinclair	13.0	15:51:45	13
14	AUS936	36	38:07	David Parker	14.0	15:52:07	14
15	AUS969	69	38:09	Grant Pellew	15.0	15:52:09	15
16	AUS844	84	38:15	Richie Howells	16.0	15:52:15	16
17	AUS22	22	38:59	Mark Johnston	17.0	15:52:59	17
18	AUS935	35	39:20	Steve Breaden	18.0	15:53:20	18
19	AUS90	30	39:53	Pieter-Jan Postman	19.0	15:53:53	19
20	AUS952	19	40:05	Andrew Chaney	20.0	15:54:05	20
21	NED88	06	40:09	Carolijn Brouwer	21.0	15:54:09	21
22	AUS942	42	40:47	Steven Yarrington	22.0	15:54:47	22
23	AUS668	68	42:26	Brian Cole	23.0	15:56:26	23
24	AUS883	83	42:32	Kasey Warr	24.0	15:56:32	24
25	AUS880	80	43:07	Ian Michie	25.0	15:57:07	25
26	AUS746	46	45:14	Brett White	26.0	15:59:14	26
27	AUS802	82	49:16	Konrad Schultz	27.0	16:03:16	27
DNC	AUS4	04		Steve Brewin	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS5	05		Horst Kopp	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS8	08		Graeme Harbour	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS9	09		John Dowling	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS13	13		Jack Benson	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS48	48		Ian Johnson	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS76	23		Dario Valenza	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS101	11		John Richards	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS739	73		William Pringle	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS747	47		Chris Carter	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS765	76		Mark Griffits	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS804	21		Thomas Stuchbery	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS827	27		Neil Caldwell	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS837	28		Clare Neeskens	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS898	26		Chris Cairns	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS902	02		Scott Anderson	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS907	29		Davis McKenzie	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS911	71		Michael Kopp	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS912	72		Alex Duff	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS920	79		Adam Beattie	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS932	75		Pat Drover	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS933	33		Chris Parker	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS939	39		Campbell Miller	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS941	41		Julian Jenkins	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS944	44		Steve Wright	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS947	77		Lucas McDonald	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS948	78		Russ McDonald	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS950	50		Robert Griffits	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS954	54		Paul Neeskens	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS955	55		John Cootes	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS956	56		Vic Collett	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS957	57		David Loutit	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS959	59		Graham Hiles	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS961	61		Stuart Scott	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS962	62		Wayne Mercer	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS964	31		Simon Nelson	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS967	89		Graeme Parker	71.0			DNC
DNC	AUS9I4	70		Brad Wicht	71.0			DNC
DNC	GER14	14		Bob Baier	71.0			DNC
DNC	NED112	17		Dirk de Ridder	71.0			DNC
DNC	NED888	24		Jeroen Van Leeuwen	71.0			DNC
DNC	USA1	18		John Kosteki	71.0			DNC
OCS	AUS111	01		Glenn Ashby	71.0			OCS