1st Australian Viper Nats

AHPC is full forward on their goal to have the Viper selected as the Olympic Mixed Multihull, “Check Rio 2016” on Carolijn-Brett main.
They will have some tough competition with Nacra, Phantom and others, their obvious advantage is their boats sold and already racing fleets in Europe,USA and Australia.
In any case its going to be an interesting trial event.

Starting the day being 2nd with 11 points, behind Jason Waterhouse with 7 points, they had to do everything in their power to come out the winners of this event, and they did.

In light and shifty conditions the fleet had still 3 races to go. Straight from the start Carolijn took the lead and did not let it go. While the rest of the fleet was struggling with the shifts and pressure differences, turning the positions 2 till 7 upside down and back in matters of half a leg… Did Carolijn manage to secure her first position. Greg Goodall took his ‘free out of jail’-card sailing from back in the fleet to being fifth at the last top mark, to finishing 2nd. Very much to Adam Beattie’s dislike, who battled the whole race for that second position and ended up being 3rd, still in front of Jason Waterhouse who ended up with his drop (4.00).

The second race, was pretty much the same. Carolijn and Brett took off to leave the rest of the fleet battle out the other positions. This time Adam Beattie, again defending his second position, lost it again, ending up 5th this time, behind Adrian Fawcett coming second, Jason Waterhouse third, and on a photo-finish together with James Wierzbowski taking the 4th position.
Marja van Helden (Adam Beattie’s crew): “It was so hard defending your spot, especially downwind, were we would sit in nothing and the rest behind you just comes down with a breeze line, and there is just nothing you can do. Very frustrating from time to time, but even more respect for the consistency Carolijn was sailing with today.”

With Carolijn winning these two races it all came down to who would win the last race. So Jason and Carolijn started to matchrace each other before the start. A start that was won by Jason Waterhouse, who made it first to the top mark, followed by Carolijn Brouwer and Adam Beattie. But Carolijn fought back and got the lead over Jason, who in his last upwind was past as well by Adam Beattie. Making Carolijn Brouwer and Brett Goodall the 2012 Viper National Champions.

As I said, a perfect performance from Team Magic Marine – Carolijn Brouwer and Brett Goodall.

Congratulations to them and congratulations to Team Magic Marine – Adam Beattie and Marja van Helden, with their 3rd position.”

Overall positions after final day of racing:

1 Carolijn Brouwer
2 Jason Waterhouse
3 Adam Beattie
4 Adrian Fawcett
5 Greg Goodall
6 James Wierzbowski
7 Liam Goodall
8 Don Dull
9 P. Boutonnet
10 G. Weeks