![Four laser dinghies about to cross the finish line in Sunday's fourth heat of the club championships with Hugh Evans leading from John Sumner, Tim Corben and Mick Bradfield. Picture Supplied. Four laser dinghies about to cross the finish line in Sunday's fourth heat of the club championships with Hugh Evans leading from John Sumner, Tim Corben and Mick Bradfield. Picture Supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/cdd9ce64-aa9b-492a-8d5f-346ca78f7431.jpg/r0_188_2016_1514_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The latest heat of the Lake Keepit Sailing Club's championship series saw a thrilling finish.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Club commodore Tim Corben reported a fleet of 11 started Heat 4 on Sunday, November 26, "with a whisp of breeze".
"Two boats called it quits along the way but nine completed the hour-and-a-half battle with the varying direction of the whisps of wind," he said.
Quirindi sailor Michael Juchau, sailing his 20ft Gemini catamaran, was the first to cross the line, finishing in 1 hour 22.01 minutes.
Tamworth's Doug Whiteman was then four minutes behind him in his club marie cat.
"Then the fleet descended on the race recorders," Corben reported.
After "a battle of wind changes" the laser contingent finished grouped together "in a thrilling fight to get to the gun first".
Due to the mix of boats in the fleet, the club apply a yardstick formula established by Australian Sailing to give a handicap result and make it a relatively even contest.
On handicap, Tamworth's Hugh Evans, sailing his laser, was awarded the honours.
Lasers filled the top three placings with Gunnedah's John Sumner sailing home for second and Corben (Barraba) third.
Breeza's Mick Bradfield and Tamworth's Kevin Overton rounded out the top five.