Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Saskia has won the 8 Metre class at the Metre Class Centenary Regatta at Cowes, scoring her third successive win overnight on The Solent in a regatta shortened by bad weather.
The victory, over an international fleet, follows owners John and Michael Stephen’s victory in the 8-Metre Centennial World Championship in Scotland last week – an outstanding effort by the 76-year-old yacht and her crew from Sydney.
Unfortunately, the Metre Class Centenary Regatta lost two days due to bad weather off the south coast of England and only three of the scheduled six races were sailed, the final race overnight being over a shortened course.
Saskia, helmed by John Stephen, won the final race by 2 minutes 45 seconds, sailing the course in just over 54 minutes to win from the Belgium boat Iderim and the French entry Hispania. Only seven boats started the last race, five finishing.
Overall, Saskia, with three wins in three races, finished with 3 points, followed by Iderim on 7 points and the British boat Picuccua on 13 points.
The other Metre classes also were limited to a three race regatta, an historic event which celebrated the introduction of the Metre Rule of yacht design in 1907.
The 12-Metre class was fought out by two former British America’s Cup challengers Crusader and Sceptre, with Crusader taking the series; the 6-Metre Modern class went to the Swedish yacht Jungfrom, the 6-Metre Classic class to the British boat Titia and the Daring class to the British boat Darius.
Saskia will remain on The Solent, contesting the Skandia Cowes Week.
– Peter Campbell
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