The 1983 America's Cup winning skipper Australian John Bertrand won Race 5 in the 2006 Audi Etchells Worlds, off Fremantle. Bertrand showed a host of sailors from America's Cup campaign's past and present, how to win against the best.
Bertrand famously took the America's Cup from the New York Yacht Club, who had held it for 132 years. The losing skipper Dennis Conner had planned to be in Fremantle for a rematch against his old foe Bertrand. Conner was injured during the Heathrow Airport bomb scare in August and was a scratching from this International Etchells fleet.
Today Bertrand showed a host of sailors from America's Cup campaign's past and present, how to win against the best. He finished six boat lengths ahead of 1999 Etchells World Champion Cameron Miles. American Craig Healy was third, a boat length back.
Bertrand commented. 'One of the toughest fleet we've ever sailing in, the depth is phenomenal, and every boat that crossed us, or that we cross seems to have an Olympian, an America's cupper, or a top coach. In this fleet the difference between breaking thru or be absorbed bask into the fleet is like the thickness of a hair, the racing is really really close.
'We had a good start and we found clear air, we rounded in second place, our down wind speed was very good and we sailed through Craig Healy and broke away from there. We are just only half way through the regatta, so anything can happen from here. Hopefully the old stagers can give it a bit of nudge.'
Second placed Cameron Miles 'We finally got a good start; we went the right way, kept our lane. Laughing he commented We though Bertrand was retired from International yachting. If he is retired we should have won that race.
Craig Healy was smiling . 'We were OCS n the first race, so we've been very conservative all week. Today we had some space, as the guys below us were over early. We were close with John Bertrand up the beat and we stayed tight from there.'
Yesterday's winner Ante Razmilovic finished fourth, current America's Cup campaigned Mark Bradford who sails for BMW Oracle was fifth, Kiwi champion Alastair Gair finished sixth, WA local Rob Bird was seventh and dual Etchells world champion Stuart Childerley was eighth. From that famous 1983 campaign Rob Brown was ninth and Skip Lissiman, the current National Etchells Champion was 12th.
The series lead has not changes Jud Smith (USA)leads the series on 31 points, but behind him there has been a reshuffle. Ante Razmilovic (GBR) on 35 points, Alastair Gair (NZL) is third with 38 points, Andy Beadsworth (GBR) also has 38 points. John Bertrand is the leading Australian on 49 points.
| Pos | Sail No / Boat Name | Skipper / Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | USA 1061 - Feng Shui | Jud Smith/Dirk Kneulman/Andrew Wills/Thomas Saunders | 1( 1) | 2( 2) | 1( 1) | 6( 6) | 21( 21) | 31 |
| 2 | GBR 1333 - Swedish Blue | Ante Razmilovic/Jez Fanstone/Stuart Flinn | 9( 9) | 9( 9) | 12( 12) | 1( 1) | 4( 4) | 35 |
| 3 | NZL 950 - Velsheda | Alastair Gair/David Ridley/Carl Peters/Derek Scott | 2( 2) | 23( 23) | 4( 4) | 3( 3) | 6( 6) | 38 |
| 4 | GBR 1187 - Anam Chara | Andy Beadsworth/James McHugh/Simon Fry | 3( 3) | 4( 4) | 2( 2) | 10( 10) | 19( 19) | 38 |
| 5 | AUS 1321 - Triad (VIC) | John Bertrand/Ian Johnson/Tim Ede | 10( 10) | 17( 17) | 9( 9) | 12( 12) | 1( 1) | 49 |
| 6 | AUS 1317 - Una Mas (QLD) | Mark Bradford/Graeme Taylor/Steve Jarvin | 5( 5) | 34( 34) | 5( 5) | 4( 4) | 5( 5) | 53 |
| 7 | AUS 117- Fast Harry (NSW) | Cameron Miles/Phil Smidmore/Dave Samson | 4( 4) | 14( 14) | 17( 17) | 17( 17) | 2( 2) | 54 |
| 8 | GBR 987 - Bedrock | Stuart Childerley/Simon Russell/Roger Marino | 27( 27) | 11( 11) | 8( 8) | 5( 5) | 8( 8) | 59 |
| 9 | AUS 866 (WA) | Murray Smith/Brad Sheridan/Barrie Sturgeon | 6( 6) | 27( 27) | 13( 13) | 9( 9) | 15( 15) | 70 |
| 10 | AUS 1244 - Dr Evil (VIC) | Jake Gunther/Russell Tyson/Richard Ironmonger | 12( 12) | 15( 15) | 10( 10) | 16( 16) | 20( 20) | 73 |
| 11 | AUS 1277 - Critical Balance (VIC) | Mark Bulka/Stewart Nichols/Steve Young | 18( 18) | 13( 13) | 6( 6) | 29( 29) | 11( 11) | 77 |
| 12 | AUS 1326 - Steampacket VI (NSW) | Rob Brown/Bruce Wookey/Garry Gudmunson | 33( 33) | 3( 3) | 33( 33) | 8( 8) | 9( 9) | 86 |
| 13 | USA 969 - Happy Ending | Chris Busch/Rod Hagebols/Willem van Waay | 7( 7) | 7( 7) | 31( 31) | 27( 27) | 29( 29) | 101 |
| 14 | AUS 1215 - Boat X (VIC) | Noel Drennan/Peter Ahern/Bill Browne | 45( 45) | 12( 12) | 3( 3) | 20( 20) | 24( 24) | 104 |
| 15 | GBR 1332 - Gerlert | David Bedford/Phil Lawrence/Jonathon Taylor | 34( 34) | 18( 18) | 11( 11) | 26( 26) | 16( 16) | 105 |
| 16 | AUS 1289 - Two Palms & a Hammock (WA) | Peter Chappell/Sam Gill/Michael Hughes | 29( 29) | 21( 21) | 25( 25) | 18( 18) | 12( 12) | 105 |
| 17 | USA 946 - I Love My Wife | Craig Healy/Kieth Stahnke/David Gruver | 8( 8) | 70(OCS) | 23( 23) | 2( 2) | 3( 3) | 106 |
| 18 | AUS 1088 - Sun Tzu (NSW) | Roger Hickman/Phillip Endersbee/Peter Inchbold | 22( 22) | 10( 10) | 16( 16) | 23( 23) | 40( 40) | 111 |
| 19 | AUS 1254 - North Sydney (NSW) | Julian Plante/Michael Coxon/Nick Garland/Matt Day | 25( 25) | 5( 5) | 7( 7) | 7( 7) | 70(OCS) | 114 |
| 20 | AUS 891 - Bandwagon (WA) | Skip Lissiman/ Ben Durham/Kane Williamson | 24( 24) | 30( 30) | 20( 20) | 30( 30) | 13( 13) | 117 |
| 21 | AUS 1273 - North Sydney Station (NSW) | Richard Coxon/Ed Mc Carthy/Graeme Spence | 21( 21) | 36( 36) | 27( 27) | 11( 11) | 25( 25) | 120 |
| 22 | HKG 105 - Quest | Mark Thornburrow/Gray Gibson/Mark Parker | 31( 31) | 16( 16) | 38( 38) | 25( 25) | 18( 18) | 128 |
| 23 | AUS 1320 - Rhapsody in Blue (WA) | Rob Bird/Graeme Johnson/Nic Gray | 28( 28) | 25( 25) | 39( 39) | 31( 31) | 7( 7) | 130 |
| 24 | GBR 1325 - Festina2 | Barry Parkin/Mike Till/Bill Masterman | 35( 35) | 6( 6) | 35( 35) | 19( 19) | 36( 36) | 131 |
| 25 | AUS 924 - Barry White (VIC) | Damien King/Simon Cunnington/James Ware/Andy Butler | 26( 26) | 37( 37) | 18( 18) | 15( 15) | 38( 38) | 134 |
| 26 | AUS 1356 - The Croc (WA) | Michael Manford/Dean McAullay/Richard Rowell | 15( 15) | 70(OCS) | 15( 15) | 14( 14) | 22( 22) | 136 |
| 27 | AUS 916 - Daylight Robbery (WA) | Alastair McMichael/Richard Edinger/Andrew McAullay | 30( 30) | 19( 19) | 22( 22) | 22( 22) | 45( 45) | 138 |
| 28 | AUS 1131 - Humpback (NSW) | David Clark/Stephen Barlow/Andrew Smith | 19( 19) | 1( 1) | 30( 30) | 21( 21) | 70(DNF) | 141 |
| 29 | AUS 1143 - Squid (SA) | Chris Pratt/Nick Paterson/Mark O Brien | 16( 16) | 41( 41) | 24( 24) | 28( 28) | 35( 35) | 144 |
| 30 | IRL 1015 - Matatu Durh | Richard Burrows/David Burrows/Peter Coad | 32( 32) | 29( 29) | 19( 19) | 48( 48) | 17( 17) | 145 |
| 31 | AUS 1124 - Roulette (NSW) | Mark Johnson/Robert Bishop/Nik Burfoot | 46( 46) | 20( 20) | 14( 14) | 42( 42) | 27( 27) | 149 |
| 32 | USA 1153 - Junkyard Dog | Joseph Bainton/Ched Proctor/Tod Raynor | 42( 42) | 8( 8) | 37( 37) | 49( 49) | 14( 14) | 150 |
| 33 | AUS 1136 - Bohica (SA) | David Royle/Peter Royle/Jon Ward | 52( 52) | 31( 31) | 44( 44) | 24( 24) | 10( 10) | 161 |
| 34 | AUS 925 - Oxygen (QLD) | Rod Jones/Bucky Smith/Gregor McAllan-Smith | 14( 14) | 70(DNF) | 40( 40) | 13( 13) | 33( 33) | 170 |
| 35 | NZL 1314 - Addiction | Lindsay Kennedy/Trevor Swinburne/Peter Waters | 20( 20) | 42( 42) | 43( 43) | 40( 40) | 34( 34) | 179 |
| 36 | AUS 1119 - Feathers Chalk Beans (NSW) | Michael Jones/Bill Sykes/Roy Ditmarsch | 11( 11) | 60( 60) | 36( 36) | 44( 44) | 32( 32) | 183 |
| 37 | AUS 781 - Abracadabra (WA) | Gordan Lucas/Geoff Chambers/John Gardiner | 36( 36) | 43( 43) | 41( 41) | 41( 41) | 23( 23) | 184 |
| 38 | AUS 915 (NSW) | Peter McNeil/Peter McLachlan/Rick Maxwell | 44( 44) | 24( 24) | 42( 42) | 33( 33) | 42( 42) | 185 |
| 39 | GBR 1329 - Selection Box! | Martin Payne/Jonathon Mortimer/Steve Birbeck | 48( 48) | 56( 56) | 21( 21) | 35( 35) | 30( 30) | 190 |
| 40 | GBR 992 - China White | Andrew Cooper/David Heritage/George Cooper | 17( 17) | 33( 33) | 46( 46) | 53( 53) | 47( 47) | 196 |
| 41 | AUS 883 - Tusk (WA) | Gary Smith/Mark Lovelady/Mick McAulley | 23( 23) | 22( 22) | 70(OCS) | 43( 43) | 39( 39) | 197 |
| 42 | BER 1249 | Tim Patton/Mark Thomas/Simon Wilder | 41( 41) | 70(OCS) | 26( 26) | 37( 37) | 26( 26) | 200 |
| 43 | USA 1283 - Down Under | Andrew Whittome/Jim Gregory/John Callahan | 57( 57) | 57( 57) | 28( 28) | 32( 32) | 28( 28) | 202 |
| 44 | GBR 1165 - Wobbegong | Doug Flynn/Mark Cartwright/Tim Powell | 38( 38) | 47( 47) | 29( 29) | 52( 52) | 43( 43) | 209 |
| 45 | AUS 963 - The Rat (WA) | Grantham Kitto/Brad Moore/Simon Shaw | 55( 55) | 32( 32) | 32( 32) | 46( 46) | 49( 49) | 214 |
| 46 | GBR 1036 - Esprit | Robert J Elliott/Sam Richmond/Andrew Yates | 40( 40) | 51( 51) | 54( 54) | 45( 45) | 31( 31) | 221 |
| 47 | IRL 1330 - Fraculator | Dan O Grady/Paul Reilly/Brian Hammersley | 13( 13) | 55( 55) | 49( 49) | 38( 38) | 70(OCS) | 225 |
| 48 | AUS 1191 - Rangoon Tiger (NSW) | Gordon Hinds/Peter Bellingham/Steve Ingate | 37( 37) | 48.3(RDG) | 45( 45) | 59( 59) | 41( 41) | 230.3 |
| 49 | AUS 1117 - Seven P s (WA) | Ian Anderson/Peter Vos/Gus McBrair | 62( 62) | 26( 26) | 70(OCS) | 34( 34) | 46( 46) | 238 |
| 50 | AUS 1312 - Squeaky Clean (VIC) | Rob Davis/Andrew Baker/John Gibson | 70(OCS) | 35( 35) | 52( 52) | 36( 36) | 50( 50) | 243 |
| 51 | AUS 939 - Power & The Passion (WA) | Gordon Blaauw/Andrew Short/Peter Kernot | 50( 50) | 39( 39) | 34( 34) | 67( 67) | 54( 54) | 244 |
| 52 | AUS 1311 - Mystery Taxi (SA) | Paul Henshall/Bruce Henshall/Lyall Milford | 39( 39) | 46( 46) | 53( 53) | 60( 60) | 48( 48) | 246 |
| 53 | AUS 1022 - Screaming Plum (WA) | Doug Kerr/Greg Kerr/Luke Paterson | 70(DNF) | 50( 50) | 51( 51) | 50( 50) | 37( 37) | 258 |
| 54 | AUS 1160 - Liquidity (WA) | Dirk van der Struyf/Reid Fleming/Simon Sutherland | 49( 49) | 28( 28) | 53(RDG) | 65( 65) | 70(DNF) | 265 |
| 55 | AUS 1082 - Enigma (VIC) | Mary Hanna/Ben O Brien/Brendon Garner/Jock Sinclair | 60( 60) | 48( 48) | 70(RAF) | 39( 39) | 52( 52) | 269 |
| 56 | AUS 1188 - Jaloralee (WA) | Dave Roberts/Brett Shoebridge/Christian Christiansen | 43( 43) | 54( 54) | 63( 63) | 51( 51) | 61( 61) | 272 |
| 57 | AUS 1150 - Dragon Lady (WA) | Bill Steele/Rob Rooke/Geoff Reilly | 58( 58) | 44( 44) | 70(DSQ) | 47( 47) | 53( 53) | 272 |
| 58 | AUS 826 - Hustler (QLD) | David Healey/Noel Paterson/Gary van Lunteren | 53( 53) | 38( 38) | 59( 59) | 54( 54) | 70(OCS) | 274 |
| 59 | USA 1234 | Kers Clausen/Kjeld Hestehave/Matt Noble | 66( 66) | 49( 49) | 55( 55) | 58( 58) | 51( 51) | 279 |
| 60 | USA 1177 - Life is Good | Chris Clark/Tom Dawson/Dick Hodgson | 63( 63) | 45( 45) | 50( 50) | 64( 64) | 59( 59) | 281 |
| 61 | GBR 937 - Evelina | Chester Maudslay/Paul Kelsey/Guy Manners-Spencer | 59( 59) | 40( 40) | 57( 57) | 57( 57) | 70(DNF) | 283 |
| 62 | AUS 1056 - Upbeat (WA) | Peter Godley/Rod Godley/Geert Buters | 54( 54) | 59( 59) | 56( 56) | 70(DNF) | 44( 44) | 283 |
| 63 | USA 1315 - Lost in the Fog | John Gilmour/Andrew Minkwitz/Terry Dobell | 47( 47) | 70(DNF) | 48( 48) | 62( 62) | 60( 60) | 287 |
| 64 | GBR 1067 - Slieve Elva | David Franks/Graham Sunderland/Mark Watson | 64( 64) | 52( 52) | 61( 61) | 55( 55) | 55( 55) | 287 |
| 65 | GBR 1009 - Mayhem | Tim Daughton/Keith Tippell/Charlotte Lamport/Jonathon Halliday | 70(DNF) | 53( 53) | 60( 60) | 56( 56) | 57( 57) | 296 |
| 66 | NZL 1240 - Waiwera Infinity | John St Clair Brown/Robert Croft/David Healy | 51( 51) | 62( 62) | 64( 64) | 66( 66) | 56( 56) | 299 |
| 67 | AUS 872 - Count Boris Secret Rendezvous (VIC) | Nick Knezic/John Coates/Rod McIntosh | 56( 56) | 58( 58) | 62( 62) | 61( 61) | 63( 63) | 300 |
| 68 | AUS 617 - Nopropellis (WA) | Frank Van Ruth/Thor Schoenhoff/Daniel Wadsworth | 61( 61) | 63( 63) | 65( 65) | 63( 63) | 58( 58) | 310 |
| 69 | AUS 1276 - Etch (NSW) | Jan Muysken/Richard Bryson/Ben Grauer | 65( 65) | 61( 61) | 58( 58) | 68( 68) | 62( 62) | 314 |