Race 8

The first attempt to start race 8 was abandoned in the final minute as the light NW breeze shifted 150 to 2700. At the second attempt Pank/Barber jumped the start at the beginning of the last race having to gybe around the pin end and head to the right side of the course. They cleared their air quickly and hooked into pressure and a favourable shift on the right to place 1st at the top mark followed by the Bancrofts & Searle/Bell again who had played the left side of the course. Abby Parkes and Sophie Hunt (AUS) were close behind and all headed into shore. Parkes/Hunt gybed earlier than most and carried some pressure into starboard side of the bottom gate with a small shift resulting in the leaders overlaying the port side of the gate slightly. This placed Parkes/Hunt in a line of pressure on the upwind leg that brought them up to the GBR boats who had gone hard left. At the top mark the 2nd time Pank/Barber were ahead of Parkes/Hunt and the Bancrofts 3rd with Searle/Bell 4th. All again headed for the shore side downwind with Parkes/Hunt picking the layline best to round ahead at the bottom gate. 2nd at this stage was Searle/Bell then Bancroft/Bancroft with Pank/Barber slipping back to 5th after going too far in shore downwind. Up the final beat the wind had flicked right & filled in slightly with the leaders again heading left. Most chose to sneak across to the right with short little tacks when the opportunity presented itself but Guy Bancroft backed himself by heading hard left. Parkes/Hunt extended their lead with the Bancrofts passing Searle/Bell to lead Pank/Barber to the top mark the final time. Both of the Aussie boats again went for the shore down the last run while the GBR sailors stayed in the middle of the course. Final placings after the short work to the finish were; 1 Parkes/Hunt (AUS), 2 Bancroft/Bancroft (AUS), 3 Searle/Bell (GBR), 4 Pank/Barber (GBR), 5 Jolliffe/Branch (GBR).