28th July 2008
By Peter Campbell
Young Squadron members Andrew Mathers and Al Chase, both graduates of the RSYS Youth Program, have sailed their speedy Jeanneau 24 Petite Bateau to an overall victory in Division 2 of the Winter Series.
The highly successful Winter Series of 11 races ended on Saturday, with competitors getting together for an equally enjoyable Prizegiving Dinner in the evening.
The little French-built Petite Bateau overcame a ‘merciless’ handicap, giving time to every other boat in the fleet, to finish three points clear of Aurelia II, skippered by that canny Harbour skipper, septuagenarian past Commodore Norman Longworth.
Only two points back in third overall was another small boat, Kerstin II (Jim Bowman, Ken Chase and Julian Goldie).
In Saturday’s final race, sailed in light and variable winds, Petite Bateau placed only 10th on corrected time, whereas Aurelia II placed 2nd, the winner with a hat-trick of first places, being Colin Goldrick’s Allegretto.
Photo by John Sligar
Chris Harper returned to the helm of the 12.1m Hanse Crackajack to win the last race in the Non-Spinnaker Division and take out the Winter Series on a countback from Caroline la Douce (Graeme Smith, Peter Jones & Gregory Clark) after both boats finished on 12 points. Third overall, just two points back, was Tallawonga (Christopher Deane).
Chris Harper, editor of the Squadron ‘Logbook’, owns Crackajack in partnership with Dennis Galvin and Club Captain David Ward. Chris and his wife Jan have just returned from competing in the International Yngling World Championships in Denmark.
“It was a win and a win on Saturday,” an excited Jan Harper said today. “Incredibly close, with the final race win being the decider to level with Caroline la Douce.”
Over the Winter Series, Crackajack scored three 1st places and four 2nd places while Caroline la Douce had three 1st places but three 2nds – thus deciding the countback.
The Squadron’s honorary auditor John Waring and his wife Judy clinched Division 1 of the Winter Series with their Beneteau 10.9 alouette, scoring a third place in the final race.
This gave alouette a margin of four points ahead of Peter Davenport’s Arcturus II, third overall going to Willyama (Trish Stanley) just two points back.
In the final race, Arcturus II placed 2nd to Ellipse (Brian Bergin), beating alouette by 41 seconds on corrected time.
Highlight of the Winter Series Prizegiving Dinner was the draw for the Mariner Boating Holiday for two people to compete in the Lycian Yacht Rally in Turkey in May 2009.` Close Window »
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