Champion Lakes hosted the WA IOM Metro Series on Sunday 25 October, with 17 boats entered for what would prove to be a closely contested day of racing. Unfortunately, a winch mount issue claimed one boat before the first race, leaving 16 skippers to contest the event.
A light and shifty south-easterly to south-westerly breeze provided Race Officer Roger Paul with some challenges in setting the course. The breeze remained shifty throughout the day, with skippers needing to stay in sync with the shifts or pay a heavy price in lost places. As the breeze increased in pressure during the afternoon, the shifts became less frequent and boat speed became more important, although picking the shifts remained a key part of the racing. The fleet also changed down to B rigs as the breeze strengthened.
The racing was close throughout the fleet, with Adam Viney making a strong start to the day with three consecutive second places followed by a win in Race 4. Sean Wallis had a less convincing start but quickly found his form, putting together a string of race wins and consistent top-three finishes to move into contention.
The battle between the two continued throughout the afternoon, with very little separating them on the scoreboard. Wallis eventually claimed the win by the narrowest of margins, finishing on 28 points, just one point ahead of Viney on 29.
The battle for third was equally close, with Ian Sherriff securing the final podium position on 58 points, just one ahead of Edgar Vitte. Ross Bennett rounded out the top five on 63 points, finishing the day with a race win in the final heat.
Further down the fleet there were some excellent individual performances, with Chris Woods, Peter Buchanan and Ron Viney also recording race wins during the day. In all, seven different skippers claimed a race victory across the 14 races completed, reflecting the competitive nature of the fleet
The event also provided a good opportunity for skippers to get some racing in ahead of the 2026 WA IOM State Championship, which will be held in Bunbury next weekend, 31 October – 1 November. With some close competition at the front of the fleet, the State Championship should provide another interesting contest as skippers from across WA come together for the two-day event.
Thanks to Race Officer Roger Paul and those who assisted in running the event.
Event Results - Top 5
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