James Wells heads the leader board at the NZL Olympic Trials
Posted On: 19/01/2004 18:32:08
Racing continued today in what was day three of the 2004 Yachting New Zealand Olympic Nomination trials. Conditions were heavier than the previous two days, with North to Northeasterly winds of 18 – 20 knots and choppy seas, forcing the Race Committee to reduce the schedule from two races per class to one.
Half a board-length was the difference between first and second in the men’s Mistral. The wind dropped to 10 – 15 knots, creating near perfect conditions for the final race of the day. Current Youth IMCO champion Tom Ashley was in the lead for the majority of the race, followed by James Wells and Jon-Paul Tobin. In the final stretch, Jon-Paul Tobin overtook James Wells, and gained on Ashley resulting in a photo finish. So close was the finish that even Tobin himself was unaware that he had secured the win from Ashley until he received confirmation from the finish boat. This win was significant for Tobin who has now moved up to third place, closing in on Ashley and Wells who are first and second respectively. With six races remaining, its still all to play for!
Racing continues tomorrow, with a further two races scheduled for each class. There will then be a break in the programme with racing resuming on Friday.
