Albacore Internationals title a battle to the finish

by Alan Henderson - fotoboat.com on 25 Jul 2009
The stage was set for the Albacore Internationals final day’s battle for the Championship on Friday 24 July. On Monday, GBR’s Will Gulliver and Steve Graham took the Albacore Nationals title by just a point, and since then the lead in the Internationals Championship has see sawed between Gulliver and the 2007 International Champions Barney Harris and David Byron of the USA.

Harris went into today’s racing with a precious one point lead on Gulliver.

Race Officer Chris Nichol decided that today’s final two races in the Championship should be held in the North race area, where in today’s Westerlies the winds would come in true. Force 3 winds (7-10 knots) meant that other sailors came into contention at the front. Chris Turner and Simon Maguire drew inspiration from their win the previous day, to take both races in good style, as they settled into the class. Also coming on to a strong run of form as the week progressed were Jerry Rook and James Wallace, who took a second place then a fourth to secure fourth overall behind Turner and Maguire in third.

In a good natured Championship, there was no outbreak of match racing between the two leaders, with Harris and Byron and Gulliver/ Graham merely keeping a close eye on each other’s position. In the first race, Harris and Byron always kept ahead of Gulliver/ Graham, and managed to climb to third place, while Gulliver/ Graham’s chances suffered when they dropped to thirteenth, their worst score of the week.

The result opened up clear water between the two for the first time in the week. In the second race, Harris/ Byron again kept safely ahead of Gulliver/Graham to clinch the 2009 Internationals title. For Harris and Byron,
this was their third Internationals title, having won an Internationals title in Canada in 2003, the USA in 2007, and now in Scotland in 2009. The pair have sailed together since 1995, and scored highly consistent positions all week.

The Albacore class finished the Championship in very good heart, with orders for six new boats announced at the Championship as the class looks forward with confidence.

Benromach Albacore Internationals, final positions

1. Barney Harris & David Byron, Potomac River Sailing Assn, USA.
24pts.
2. Will Gulliver & Steve Graham, Northampton SC. 33pts.
3. Chris Turner & Simon Maguire, Tynemouth SC. 46pts.
4. Jerry Rook & James Wallace, Lyme Regis SC. 49pts
5. Judy & Paul Armstrong, Scaling Dam SC. 60pts.

Full results click here
Pictures click here