Race Results – 21 January 2023
Eight skiffs started the second race of the Australian Championship in a building easterly, with Top Weight making its first appearance of the season and the big rig skiffs at the top of their range.
SFS Race Report Sat 21st January 2023 by Bob Chapman, 23 Jan 2023. Race 11 of the 2022-23 Season, Race Two of the Australian Championship and Heat Four of the Summer Point Score. Eight skiffs were on hand for today’s race with the forecast of light winds from the east. Most skiffs opted for no.1 big rig while others decided on full size no.2 rig. With Scot unable to race some of the spare crew joined Top Weight to make its first appearance on the water this season. The race got underway from a scratch start off Kurraba Point on the no.2 East course into a steady 10-12 kts breeze from the east, towards the end of a very big run-out tide, with the usual yacht fleets back in action to share the harbour. The start was well contested with Australia IV, The Mistake and Yendys getting off the line well while there was a bit of noise generated from the contest at the boat end. Top Weight was late getting to the start and may have lost a bit of time. The skiffs that started at the boat end were quick to tack onto port and head to the middle of the harbour, while Yendys and The Mistake sailed towards Cremorne wharf before tacking onto port. The breeze was filling in at this stage, a bit more than expected, being at the top end of the range for the skiffs under big rig and very comfortable for the skiffs under full size no.2 rig. Yendys and The Mistake continued to sail a long port leg towards Point Piper, while Alruth and Australia IV tacked over to sail a long starboard leg towards Bradley’s Head. When the skiffs began to converge on Shark Island, Alruth and Australia IV were clearly well ahead. Alruth was first to round at Shark Island for the square run to Kurraba followed by Australia IV, Yendys, The Mistake, Australia, Britannia, Tangalooma and Top Weight. With the exception of Yendys, all skiffs gybed over to run with a starboard pole spinnaker down the square run, while Yendys carried a port pole spinnaker towards Point Piper before gybing onto starboard for a hotter angle to the bottom mark and setting a ringtail in the process. Britannia also set a ringtail down this run. As the lead group converged on the Kurraba mark Yendys coming in from a lower/faster angle, slipped into the lead.
Yendys moves into the lead on approach to the Kurraba mark.
Courtesy Adrienne Jackson
Yendys was first to round at Kurraba for the close hauled leg to Clark Island followed by Alruth, Australia IV, The Mistake, Australia, Britannia, Tangalooma and Top Weight. The breeze was well into the east at this stage; the tide had bottomed-out and was just starting to run in. Yendys continued to lead at Clark Island for the close hauled leg up to Shark Island followed by Alruth with The Mistake now in 3rd place. No passing lanes up this leg, it was a follow the leader exercise with no change in positions. Yendys was first to turn at Shark Island for the final run, but as the skiffs set up for the run the breeze moved to the ENE with the tide now running-in making for a tighter spinnaker run to the finish and making life rather interesting for the skiffs under big spinnakers. Yendys was unable to hold a direct course to the finish, sailing a low course in the hard puffs to eventually drop their spinnaker early and reach into the finish under main & jib. Meanwhile Alruth under no.2 rig was comfortable and powering down to the finish, while The Mistake had a bit on under big spinnaker and ringtail (ragtail?), having to flag the gear to make the finish line. Yendys went on to win by 2 mins from Alruth, then The Mistake, Australia IV, Australia, Tangalooma and Britannia, with Top Weight deciding to retire from the race. Alruth scored another handicap win from Australia IV and Yendys.
Yendys reaches in to cross the finish.
Courtesy Adrienne Jackson.
Alruth powers into the finish line.
Courtesy Adrienne Jackson.
With thanks to our on-water support team of Barley, Wendy, Matthew, Moustapha, Stuart, Russell, Bob, Chuck and Tomoko, Chris on WB 379, with crew sign-on by Tomoko and Ross on the B-B-Q. We look forward to seeing you down at the Squaddie next week. Results for Sat 21st January 2023. Race 11
Skiff Yendys Alruth The Mistake Australia IV Australia Tangalooma Britannia Top Weight Scot Aberdare Myra Too
21-Jan-23
Skipper B. Watson A. Robertson J. Winning T. Stewart M. Flanagan N. Turbit I. Smith J. Tierney
Race Hcap 0:00 0:10 0:01 0:07 0:09 0:15 0:17 0:11 0:15 0:14 0:07
Scr Start East Course East
12-16 kts
Start Time 14:30:00 14:30:00 14:30:00 14:30:00 14:30:00 14:30:00 14:30:00 14:30:00 DNC DNC DNC
H'cap New Ring AHSSA Rating Rating Time Hcap tail Rating C'Time Place 1:40:44 0 1 0:01:30 1:39:14 1 1:32:50 8 0:03:00 1:39:50 2 1:43:42 1 1 0:01:30 1:43:12 3 1:40:21 6 0:00:00 1:47:21 4 1:47:28 9 0:03:00 1:53:28 5 1:46:08 15 0:05:00 1:56:08 7 1:46:02 17 1 0:08:30 1:54:32 6 11 15 14 7
Finish Time 16:10:44 16:12:50 16:14:42 16:17:21 16:26:28 16:31:08 16:33:02 DNF
Race Time 1:40:44 1:42:50 1:44:42 1:47:21 1:56:28 2:01:08 2:03:02
Season Summer Ringtail Galloping Rawmeat Point Point Point Ghost Hcap Skiff Score Score Score Trophy Trophy Aberdare 0 0 0 Alruth 29 17 0 5 2 Australia 19 5 0 12 14 Australia IV 48 14 6 10 8 Britannia 26 10 8 11 9 Myra Too 0 0 0 Scot 18 4 0 20 20 Tangalooma 32 12 0 11 9 The Mistake 37 12 4 4 6 Top Weight 1 1 0 19 19 Yendys 34 17 4 3 8 Note, for this season, Club point scores continue and run in conjunction with the Aust. C’ship event. Also, the Galloping Ghost and Rawmeat Trophies use the low point score system for the 3 race Aust. C’ship event. -----------------------------