1996 Cherub International Championships,

Georges River Sailing Club, Sydney, Australia.

The event formerly known as the Cherub World Championships took place at the George's River Sailing Club, Doll's Point, Botany Bay, NSW, from 28th December 1995 to 5th January 1996.
The boats entering were more or less divided up into two fleets, measuring respectively to the "UK" and "International" rules. The main differences were that the UK Rules boats were permitted asymmettric spinnakers, lessrestriction in mainsail profile and a slightly narrower waterline beam.

Race 1

Conditions:-
· Very windy with a confused chop that was really tricky to sail in (yes, worse than the Solent).

The reaches on the Olympic course used for this race were too tight for the lighter UK crews to carry their asymmetrics all the way down the legs. In general the Aussies seem to point lower and foot faster upwind, and were better able to cope with the sea conditions, and this, plus a shortage of big fleet practice for the Brits gave the Aussie boats the edge in this race.
The race was won by Australians Roger Perrett & Adrian Manning, sailing "Sports Cherub", one of the new Murray design boats, which is to the UK rules. Roger is the current 420 World Champion. Dave Roe & Helen Marsh from the UK finished 15th after their boom broke in not very exceptional conditions whilst lying second. B. Smith & G. Stiuano in "Rocky-n-Bullwinkle" took second place at the finish.

Race 2

Conditions:-
· 10 to 15 knots, gusty and shifty with a sloppy sea.

The lighter conditions suited the UK rules boats very much better. Roger Perrett won again, and was about two thirds of a leg clear at the end, with Dave Roe second, about half a length clear of Mike Chalmers and Matt Stobbart (also from the U.K.) who were in turn well clear of the first Australian Rules boat, Jamie Roberts & Jason Jordan in "Trick With a Knife".

Race 3

Conditions:-
· Moderate to Fresh

Roger Perrett won again. Dave Roe was second, but then had the mast break more or less on the finishing line.

Race 4

Conditions:-
· Very windy - 25 knots

This was the first of two races held on day 5 after day 4 was lost due to a thunderstorm which made sailing inadvisable! The combination of a bowsprit breakage and Helen twisting her knee badly "tidying up" in this race put Dave Roe & Helen Marsh out of the event, as it meant they lost races 5 and 6. They were again well placed when the breakage happened. Jamie Roberts won the race, with Roger Perrett second.

Race 5

Conditions:-
· Very Windy

The race was won by M Harrington & B. Morris in "Dry Reaching", and B. Smith was second. Mike Chalmers lost a shroud in this race and so the mast broke at the lowers. They were 9th at the time. Roger Perrett experienced some difficulties keeping the fine bow of "Sports Cherub" above the water and finished 15th.

Race 6

Conditions:-
· Not Known

M Wren & L. Mortlock won in "Screaming Seamen", while Jamie Roberts second place gave him a chance of winning if Roger Perrett finished down the fleet.

Race 7

Conditions:-
· Much lighter winds.

Roger Perrett took the Championships with another win, and Jamie Roberts' second place secured second overall & the Australian Championships. There were appreciably better results for the Brits with 3 boats in the top ten - some wished it had been like that all week!.

Roger Perrett's win was pretty emphatic, demonstrating just how much of an advantage in both speed and handling the U.K. Rules boats had over the International rules boats, though of course the ability of the crew is the most important factor. In addition the 15 to 20 knot choppy conditions experienced in most races are considered to have been ideal for the fine bowed Murray, whereas British designs tend to be much more compromised to deal with a wider variety of conditions.
Its difficult to exaggerate quite how wretched Dave Roe and Helen Marsh's luck was in this event. They quite obviously had the speed to be placed at least 2nd overall. All three spars broke, yet all three were well tried and had frequently been used in stronger conditions than were experienced, and all broke in very moderate conditions.
We have recently heard that the Moth Sailors from the UK had a number of problems with breakages of carbon parts at their last worlds in Australia and there is evidence that some epoxy laminates don't react very well to extreme temperatures. It is known that the container that went out to Australia got extremely hot inside at times.

The U.K. Competitors gratefully wish to acknowledge sponsorship from Formula Spars.

Final Results

Place	No.	Name	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Points
1	2667	Sports Cherub *	1	1	1	2	13	5	1	13
2	2995	Trick With a Knife	5	4	3	1	3	2	2	25.4
3	2934	Rocky-n-Bullwinkle	2	5	8	4	2	4	3	37.7
4	2985	Screaming Seamen	3	6	13	7	4	1	4	46.4
5	2991	Dry Reaching	4	14	6	3	1	6	5	47.1
6	3052	Sayonara Baby	6	38	10	5	10	8	10	83.7
7	2992	Groin Strain	22	11	4	12	5	12	12	89
8	2998	Rubber Hipped and Hoover Lipped	9	DNF	9	11	17	3	11	92.7
9	2960	Pistol Dawn	13	10	7	9	25	10	16	101
10	2637	Norwegian Blue *	8	3	17	14	DNF	22	7	103.7
11	2712	Foreign Affair	16	21	11	15	6	9	20	112.7
12	2888	King Neptune	23	12	26	8	9	15	15	118
13	2996	Angel of Death	19	19	14	6	15	13	18	120.7
14=	2975	Sumo	10	26	5	17	22	14	19	122
14=	2747	Gascrankenstation	21	13	26	20	8	16	8	122
16	2999	Fast Eddy & the Flying...	17	18	12	16	DNF	17	13	129
17	2980	Pull the Plug	12	8	22	23	16	35	14	131
18	2645	Cheese before Bedtime *	14	29	17	24	DNF	11	9	140
19	2954	Scenic Root	18	9	15	DNF	18	18	32	146
20	2963	Ice Man	26	33	20	25	11	21	24	163
21	2743	Albino Slug	28	43	32	18	7	30	25	176
22	3054	Vendetta	25	32	30	21	23	27	38	194
23	2990	Show us ya Kite	24	22	23	DNF	DNF	19	22	194
24	2666	Pistrix *	11	47	31	DNF	DNS	7	6	195.7
25	2984	Filthy Rocketship	29	7	29	27	DNF	26	DNS	202
26	2950	Go Hard or Go Home	27	35	33	28	20	25	37	204
27	2971	Perpetual Motion	33	40	44	19	14	36	26	204
28	2955	Blue Nuisance	43	27	38	36	27	20	21	205
29	2957	Genetic Misfortune	DNS	24	21	31	12	34	DNF	209
30	2935	Hot Prospect	32	16	40	37	DNS	24	31	216
31	2886	Liquid Lamington	20	25	16	22	DNF	DNF	DNS	219
32	2981	Ruby Tuesday	38	36	39	10	DNF	31	30	220
33	2662	Fizzy Shark *	31	17	45	26	DNF	DNS	17	220
34	2949	Liberator	41	41	35	30	19	32	33	226
35	2660	The Pasta Frenzy *	15	2	2	DNF	DNS	DNS	DNS	231
36	2997	Moisture Seeking Missile	35	37	34	38	DNF	28	28	236
37	2664	By-Pass *	42	28	19	13	DNF	DNF	DNS	238
38	2939	Too Much Fandango	34	44	DNF	42	21	33	41	251
39	2989	I'm a Mess	DNF	39	28	DNF	DNF	23	23	255
40	2959	Syntax	40	52	43	33	DNF	29	29	258
41	2962	Blue Thunder	37	46	38	35	24	47	45	261
42	2983	Demented	36	50	37	32	DNF	37	39	265
43	2651	Strangely Brown *	30	15	27	29	DNS	DNS	DNS	265
44	2894	Vengeance	44	42	48	DNF	26	42	36	274
45	2958	Schwiiiing	39	45	47	DNF	DNF	38	27	280
46	3055	Rope City	7	34	24	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	293
47	2911	Beyond Friday	DNF	53	51	34	DNF	40	35	297
48	2941	Toxic Shock	46	48	49	44	DNS	41	34	298
49	2907	Total Turmoil	DNS	DNF	41	39	DNF	39	40	305
50	2988	All Mixed Up	51	55	52	46	29	44	48	306
51	2652	The Flying Trifle *	52	49	55	41	DNF	45	43	314
52	2987	Beaver Fever	50	DNF	50	DNF	28	DNF	44	318
53	2890	Thunderjugs	DNF	31	54	40	DNF	DNS	DNS	333
54	2979	Dirty Girls in Lycra	45	DNF	46	DNS	DNS	46	42	341
55	2993	Dive Hard	47	54	53	45	DNS	DNS	46	345
56	2874	Hi Jinks	48	51	DNF	43	DNS	43	DNS	346
57	2656	Domino *	DNF	23	42	DNF	DNS	DNS	DNS	347
58	2665	Braveheart *	DNF	30	DNF	DNF	DNS	DNS	47	356
59	3000	Nightmare	49	20	DNF	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	358
60	2883	Living Proof	DNF	56	DNF	DNF	DNS	48	DNF	370
61	2931	Risky Business	DNF	DNF	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	414
62=	2994	Jaffa	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	420
62=	2891	Scare Tactics	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	420
*UK Rules boat.