RACE REPORT 9 SEPTEMBER 2023

SPRING POINTSCORE Races 1 & 2

Last Saturday was a near perfect day to be on Sydney Harbour with 53+ boats getting on the water.

When the race crew made our way out around lunch time to lay some marks, the breeze was a 10 – 12 kt westerly north of Clark Island and some steep shifts around to the south west coming out of Rushcutters Bay. With the breeze predicted to make its way around to the south around start time and then roll slightly further east late in the afternoon, we hedged our bets and set up for a south-south westerly, hoping that we’d have only some minor adjustments to make just prior to 2pm.

That plan went to custard when the sea breeze gods made an early appearance and instead dialled in a modest south easterly and leaving the start crew scrambling to find some sense and sensibility. At 2pm, the AP flag was woken from its winter slumber while things were brought back to order and a course up into the Dardanelles was laid. The start line was set and racing kicked off around 20 minutes later than usual, in a breeze of about 8 to 12 knots.

The combined Radial and 4.7 fleet wanted to make up for lost time, which prompted a general recall before a clean start under a black flag. The Standards contained their enthusiasm and got away cleanly with both fleets on their way toward ‘Bethwaite Point’ around 2:30PM in Race 1.

Race 2 was underway just after 3:30PM and, aside from an individual recall in the Radial/4.7 fleet, both starts were clean.

Watching the large fleet get to the bottom mark with the Harbour Bridge in the background and a falling sun casting a golden glow over the harbour really shows why Double Bay Sailing Club is the best sailing club in the world. As for the stars of the day, Edward Alexander took out Race 1 in the radial fleet for both fastest and corrected time, while Charlotte Jenkins got the double in the 4.7 fleet. Tim Heath crossed the line first on corrected time with Daniel Costandi getting the line honours in the standard fleet.

In Race 2, James Gosling won on corrected time and Sylvie Stannage claimed fastest time in the Radial fleet, while Ben Costandi got the double in the 4.7 fleet. In the Standards, Yves Stenning showed plenty of form to secure the win on corrected time and Otto Henry snuck in just 4 seconds in front of Campbell Patton to claim line honours.

Many thanks to PRO Murray Stone, who was magnificently assisted by Richard “Richo” Holstein and (a rehabilitating) Mike Dunne on the Jazzman, and special thanks to Trevor Potts and James Hayhoe on the Bergman for nailing the course.

Shirley managed the canteen with help from Juliet Piggin with Tim Heath and Conor Kellett.

 ILCA 4 (1st /2nd /3rd ):

Race 1 results: Charlotte Jenkins / Ben Constandi / Miles Greenwood
Race 2 results: Ben Constandi / Miles Greenwood / Harriet McLachlan

 ILCA 6 (1st /2nd /3rd ):

Race 1 results: Edward Alexander / Cormac Johnston / Jeffrey Loosemore
Race 2 results: James Gosling / Chris Tattersall / Jim Dounis

 ILCA 7 (1st /2nd /3rd ):

Race 1 results: Tim Heath/ Grant Lovelady / Peter D'Arcy-King
Race 2 results: Yves Stening / Tim Heath/ Hamish Crabb