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Rough & Reddy (R+R) made a triumphant return to the Harken Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series at the weekend - dominating the second day of the race to take out the win and exact revenge on rival Shapeshifter.
The breeze on the first day at the Mercury Bay Boating Club was relatively light and offshore, building throughout the day to allow the race committee to get six races in.
Gusty conditions on the second day were a good test of boat control that saw plenty of wipeouts which would prove costly in the tightly contested fleet.
While many struggled for consistency, the R+R crew used their experience to make the most of conditions - putting on a sailing masterclass to rattle off three straight wins before a sixth in the last race.
Shapeshifter, who won the national championships at Queen Charlotte Yacht Club in March to snap R+R's near-decade-long winning streak, failed to mount much of a challenge in Whitianga.
While it had some good results, it also had to carry a number of high scores and eventually had to settle for second overall, with Slam Dunk in third.
Shapeshifter still holds a commanding series lead however, but the battle for the remaining podium places is heating up - currently held by Reggae Shark and Revelry.
The next regatta in the series takes place in Opua on 9-10 September.
Full results here.
