RACE REPORT - SATURDAY 10 August 2024

What a great day with the dolphins! Photos by Jeremy Vives

Winter Sprint Racing

By Geoffrey Boscoe (PRO) and Jeremy Vives (Co-PRO)

Thomas Beregi (COTD) and Quentin Burns (Co-COTD) were on the RIB, with Geoffrey Boscoe (PRO) and Jeremy Vives (Co-PRO) on the Jazzman. Our wonderful Paul Adam took care of the kitchen, assisted by Tim Heath.

When we arrived at the club at 10AM, the wind was lightly blowing from the WSW. The forecast indicated that it would shift to the South around noon, and that’s exactly what happened. From noon to 3.20PM, the wind oscillated between South and Southeast. The RIB team had to move the starting line four times to align the race in the wind. A big thank you to Thomas and Quentin for their quick adjustments on the water all along the day.

At 1.00PM, the first race began in 7-12 knot conditions, which was enjoyed by all 26 boats that participated (5 x 4.7’s, 10 x Radials, 8 x Standards). A 3-minute start (with Radials and 4.7’s starting one minute earlier) helped maintain a good rhythm. A total of 8 races were held (approximately 13 minutes per race).

This fantastic race day provided an opportunity for everyone to test various strategies on the water and enjoy successive starts. A special thank you goes out to the fleet for excellent runs in a great atmosphere. Thanks to everyone for this superb winter (nearly spring?) sprint.

Unexpected guests: During the 5th race, a group of about twenty dolphins joined the front of the fleet. As they headed toward the top mark, competitors were surprised by the dolphins swimming all around them. It was a unique spectacle in Sydney Harbour.