Bundock & Ashby set for the Nationals
Sunday 15 October 2006
Bundock and Ashby’s victory came after returning from Europe three weeks ago and sailed a Hobie Cat Tiger Formula 18 supported by Ronstan (of course!)Nissan, Hobie Cat and Marinepool. The Championships were held on Wallis lake on the mid-north NSW coast close to Foster.
Racing was extremely tight with the added interest of the 2007 World Championships in Yeppoon, Queensland in February attracting the top catamaran sailors into the class. Steve Brewin, previous A Class World Champion with Andrew Williams finished one point behind the 2004 and 2005 F18 World Champions. Young future stars Matt Homan and Andrew Cook battled hard for 3rd place and spoiled a good score card with their final race.
The fleet enjoy a variety of conditions with breezes reaching 20 knots on the Saturday, 8 to 12 knots seabreeze on Sunday and 5-8 for the final race on Monday.
The only real pressure put on Bundock and Ashby was by themselves after leading race two and completing an extra lap before finishing and losing 19 places in the process.
Bundock commented “we blew it in the second race when we miss counted the laps, it was like taking a victory lap without the victory, but the conditions were fantastic with strong breeze and perfectly flat water - we were having such a good time”
Ashby said “It was always close racing and it is going to be a great season with the National Championships in three weeks and finally a World Championship in our home country. I guess this event was a good warm up for us to start off the Australian season”
Bundock/Ashby’s summer season highlights will be F18 Nationals in Frankston, Victoria from 4th November, Olympic Tornado South Americans and World Championships in Argentina from 20 November and the Formula 18 World Championship in Yeppoon Queensland from 17 February.
It arrives. Soon you will be able to test the boat which flies to the La Rochelle at Proust sailing. The KA International Bladerider Moth.