SAILING: Bullot fires most of the shots

Shane Hurndell
Aucklander Michael Bullot was this morning poised to win the open title in the New Zealand Laser national sailing championships being raced off Napier.
The final two races in the 10-race four-day regatta were scheduled for today after the Murrays Bay Sailing Club member established a 12-point lead over fellow Aucklander Blair McLay of the Torbay Sailing Club during the first eight races. A top-four finish in this morning's ninth race would give Bullot the title and he wouldn't have to worry about the final race.
Bullot collected five firsts, a second and third placing during the first eight races. Another Aucklander, Matt Blakey of the Tamaki Yacht Club, was 10 points behind McLay in third.
Yesterday's light winds resulted in competitors being out on the water for seven hours. The light northerlies slowly moved to the east and increased to 8-10 knots.
The best of the Napier Sailing Club members in the 34-strong open fleet before today's races was Stuart Morrish in 27th place. His clubmates Joseph Ellingham, Ross Shanks and Nicholas Renton were 30th, 31st and 33rd respectively.
Napier Sailing Club's Luke O'Connell was leading the Radial Open section before today's final two races began. He was fifth overall in the 30-strong radial fleet which Aucklander Sarah Macky was leading.
O'Connell's clubmates Mike Shields, Kevin Oliver, Roger Inwood, Amanda Wilson, Garry Fraser and Jo Morrell were 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 25th and 28th respectively in the fleet. Wilson was leading the masters women's division of the fleet.
Aucklander Mark Page took a convincing 16-point lead into the masters section of the regatta over Luke Batenburg of the Netherlands. Martin Pike was the best of the host club members in the 30-strong masters fleet. Pike lay 19th, while clubmates Adrian Natusch, Keith Strudwick and Nick Bullock were 23rd, 28th and 29th respectively.