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photo: Marc Turner
Sailing back on her home waters for the first time in nearly 60 years, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron entry Saskia is leading the Classic Division after three races at the 8 Metre Centennial World Championship on Scotland’s Firth of Clyde.
The Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club at Rhu is hosting the Worlds with entries from Australia, Great Britain, Canada, France, Switzerland, Japan and Germany competing.
The fleet includes three gaff-rigged 8-metres built between 1908 (when the Metre Rule of yacht design was introduced) and 1919, as well as modern and classic 8-metre class yachts.
Saskia was built on the Clyde in 1931 and was brought to Australia in the early 1950s by the late Sir William Northam to win back the Sayonara Cup for the RSYS – which he did!
Now owned by Squadron members John and Michael Stephen, with John on the helm, Saskia has sailed exceptionally well against both classic and modern 8 metres, placing 6-6-8 against a fleet of 20 yachts from around the world.
The opening race was sailed in poor visibility and moderate 12-14 breezes, with the Scottish yacht Lafayette winning from the Swiss entrant Aluette and the Dutch yacht Hollandia.
Saskia came in sixth and first of the Classic yachts (for yachts built before 1960) and repeated that performance in the first race of day two, again won by Lafayette in a 11-12 knot breeze.
The third race of the series was started after a long delay caused by a shifting wind and a general recall. The Swiss yacht Aluette took the lead at the first windward mark and was not headed, chased all the way by Lafayette and Hollandia.
Saskia did not fare so well in the light breeze, placing 8th overall and 2nd of the Classic yachts to Aun, chartered by a Japanese crew.
However, after three races Saskia still leads the Classic division, four points clear of Aun and is 6th in overall standings for the Centennial World Championship astern of modern 8-metres from Scotland, Switzerland, Holland and Canada.
Scotland’s Lafayette, owned by Murdoch McKillop and helmed by Allan Manuel, leads the overall World Championship on 4 points from placings of 1-1-2 from Aluette (SUI) on 5 points from placings of 2-2-1 and Hollandia (NED) 9 points (3-3-3).
Peter Campbell
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