Changes at the top and boats going to the bottom at the J24 Nationals

Australian J24 Championships Report for Friday January 3

As the morning southerly slowly turned east and then north-east and freshened, the smoke haze cleared over Sydney Harbour to provide some good racing conditions for Day Two of the 2020 Australian J24 Championships.  The Middle Harbour Yacht Club race management team set a course between Middle Head and North Head for another three races today.

Race 4, the first race of the day, was completed in an unsettled breeze with Steve Wright’s Tinto (Cronulla SC) the winner by 11 seconds from Checkmate (Brendan Lee / SYC) and Vortex (Chris Lee / MHYC).  The breeze had increased slightly for Race 5 but it was still fluky close to the top mark.  David McKay and Stamped Urgent (Cronulla SC) made the best of the conditions to finish ahead of Middle Harbour’s David West in Ace and Tinto in third. 

Race Officer Steve Tucker “tweaked” the course for Race 6, but there was some excitement on the start line with a number of boats making contact.  Calypso (Paul Donnelly / RMYC) and Phoenix (Joanna Lecka / CYCA) both suffered damage, with Phoenix later sinking on Clontarf Beach within sight of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club marina.  The boat was eventually re-floated and will hopefully be back on the racetrack to continue its championship campaign tomorrow.  Back on The Sound this afternoon,  Steve Wright’s Tinto claimed another win, this time ahead of Warren Slater’s JAB and Brendan Lee’s Checkmate, both from Sandringham YC.

Two wins today for Steve Wright and the Tinto crew have moved them to the top of the series table, one point ahead of 2019 Champion Brendan Lee’s Checkmate and eight points clear of the top local boat, Ace, helmed by David West.  There are six more races scheduled before the championships conclude on Sunday.

For the latest results and event information, go to https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/regattas-championships/australian-j24-championships-2020

Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin

Read more: Changes at the top and boats going to the bottom at the J24 Nationals

Gordon Ketelbey – King of the Derwent

After finishing 18^th on line honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, long time MHYC member Gordon Ketelbey and his TP52 Zen was crowned King of the Derwent in the iconic race on Hobart’s Derwent River which has been held for more than 30 years.

He and his crew then achieved an outstanding 2nd place behind back to back winner Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban in the Australian Yachting Championships (IRC Div 1) also held in Hobart.

Gordon is a well known and much loved sailor at MHYC, also owing the Farr 40 Zen. There are so many people at our club who have started and are still sailing on Zen. He is a very generous owner and a great volunteer at our club.  Last year Gordon won the Tig Thomas Memorial trophy, one of the most prestigious trophies in our club which recognises excellence in sailing.

Read more: Gordon Ketelbey – King of the Derwent

J24 Nationals Underway on Sydney Harbour

Day one of the 2020 J24 Australian Championships saw sixteen crews from NSW and Victoria racing on The Sound of Sydney Harbour in a light south-easterly becoming moderate.  It was a gentle start to four days of racing, with wind strength and temperature forecast to rise as the event progresses.

Brendan Lee, the 2019 National Champion from Sandringham in Victoria, has returned to defend his title with his new boat Checkmate.  In the first race of the day, Lee was third behind Steve Wright’s Tinto (Cronulla SC), the runner-up for last year’s championship, but thirty seconds ahead was Middle Harbour sailor John Crawford and the crew of Innamincka.  In race two, Checkmate took a narrow win from David West’s Ace (MHYC) and Tinto was third. 

For the final race today, Race Officer Steve Tucker signalled for three laps of the windward-leeward course running from south of Cannae Point out through the Sydney Heads, where the breeze held steady around 130 degrees throughout the afternoon and kept the fleet clear of the ferry lanes. David McKay’s Stamped Urgent, the Cronulla team who placed third at the 2019 Nationals, were first home ahead of Simon Grain’s Jet (Sandringham YC) and Brendan Lee’s Checkmate.

At the end of day one, Checkmate (Brendan Lee) leads the series score by 3 points with Tinto (Steve Wright) second and Innamincka (John Crawford) third but on equal points with Stamped Urgent (David McKay) who are the wrong side of a tie-break.

Nine more races are scheduled for the Championships, with racing concluding on Sunday.  The event is being conducted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club.

For the latest results and event information, go to https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/regattas-championships/australian-j24-championships-2020

Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin

Read more: J24 Nationals Underway on Sydney Harbour

MHYC Yachts Perform Well in Hobart Race

Congratulations to MHYC members who competed in the 75^th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race this year.

Carl Crafoord and co-owner Tim Horkings excelled with Sail Exchange, placing 2^nd in IRC Division 5 and taking the win in ORCI Division 3.  Other notable achievements were…

• Dreki Sunnan (Ken Holmes) 9^th IRC Division 4 & 9^th IRC Corinthian
• Flying Fish Arctos (George Martin) 5^th PHS Division 2
• Galaxy III (Chris Canty) 6^th PHS Division 2
• Highly Sprung (Mark Spring) 8^th IRC Division 4 and 9^th ORCi Division 3
• Maverick 49 (Quentin Stewart & Shaun Lane) 3^rd IRC Division 2 & 10^th ORCi Division 1
• TSA Management (Tony Levett) 11^th IRC Division 5, 6^th ORCi Division 4 & 4^th Sydney 38
• Zen TP52 (Gordon Ketelbey) 6^th IRC Division 1

A number of MHYC members also sailed on a variety of other boats for the race. 

For all the race results and information, visit https://rolexsydneyhobart.com

Read more: MHYC Yachts Perform Well in Hobart Race

Christmas Cup concludes the MHYC 2019 Sailing Program

The final day of racing at MHYC for 2019 was a very full program afloat and ashore. 

A gale warning threatened to interfere with racing but as the change was slow moving up the coast, a shorter race was completed for the Christmas Cup well before the southerly moved in.  A ten mile course,  taking in Manly and Fort Denison, raced in a moderate to fresh north-easterly provided some good sailing.  The Christmas Cup was this year held in memory of Gordon Reynolds, one of the founders of MHYC.  This annual event also includes the Veterans Cup and Old Farts Dog Bowl Trophy, attracting some older boats and even older skippers!

The Christmas Cup Division 1 was won by Michael Smith and the crew of Tempo, while Astoria (Mark Stacey) claimed the Division 2 win.  Winner of the Veterans Cup (for boats of 30 years and older) was Sheer Magic (Mark Stacey).  Winner of the Old Farts Dog Bowl Trophy (boat and skipper which have a combined age of 90+) was Peter Sorenson and Advanced Philosophy.

To view the Christmas Cup results – click here

Following prize-giving for the Christmas Cup, a Special Event was held to recognise the MHYC crews which will contest the 75^th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.  It also acknowledged the achievements of MHYC sailors participating in this iconic race over many decades.  A panel discussion with skippers of this year’s entries was moderated by Andrew Pearson. 

We wish all the crews competing this year a safe and fast passage to Hobart and also wish the MHYC Race Management Volunteers running the second Start Line all the best.

To follow to Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race fleet from Boxing Day, view the Race Tracker 

Thankyou Marg Fraser-Martin for today's action photos from the Christmas Cup

Christmas Cup Presentations in the SandBar

MHYC Special Event to mark the 75^th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Read more: Christmas Cup concludes the MHYC 2019 Sailing Program

Brendan Lee repeats J24 Nationals win

Australian J24 Championships Report - Sunday January 5

The 2020 Australian J24 Championships concluded today after four days of racing in a variety of conditions.  Race Officer Steve Tucker and the MHYC Race Management Team completed the full schedule of twelve races with two days of north-easterly and two days of cooler southerly breezes on Sydney Harbour.

Brendan Lee, the 2019 National Champion from Sandringham Yacht Club in Victoria, started the defence of his title with new boat Checkmate by leading after the first day of racing. On the second day, two wins for Steve Wright and the Tinto crew from Cronulla Sailing Club moved them to the top, one point ahead of Checkmate.  After nine races, Tinto had increased their lead over Checkmate to three points, with both clear of David McKay’s Stamped Urgent, also from Cronulla, in third.

Today's final trio of races started in a moderate to fresh southerly with the course moved out of The Sound and set between Obelisk Bay and Neilson Park in search of flatter water.  Tinto posted their two worst results in races 10 and 11, enabling Brendan Lee and the Checkmate crew to regain the series lead with one race to sail.  With drops now in play, Stamped Urgent had also closed the gap. 

With the wind building to 20-25 knots, things got interesting for Race 12.  It took two General Recalls before the last race of the series was underway.  Tinto collided with the Committee Boat in the final pre-start, were slow off the line and 11^th at the first leeward rounding, half-way through the W2 course.  Meanwhile, Checkmate put their spinnaker in the water and the resulting tangle caused them to retire.  Stamped Urgent, the boat placed third in the series, was following John Crawford’s Innamincka in the lead at the first leeward rounding, and held on to post a handy second.

At the conclusion of four day’s racing, Brendan Lee and the Checkmate crew of Daniel Abbas, Daniel Cave, Will Shears, Keren Reynolds and Belinda Christie are the Australian J24 Champions for 2020.  While Checkmate was able to drop their DNF score and finish on 25 points, Steve Wright’s Tinto had a disappointing day posting 8-8-7 to slide back into third place behind David McKay’s Stamped Urgent.

MHYC’s Vice Commodore Racing, Geoff Charters, presented the One Design National Championship awards and J24 Australia President Ron Thomson presented the Handicap Prizes.  First on handicap was Phoenix  (Joanna Lecka), second Baile De Luna (Adam Keyes-Tilley) and third Kaotic (Geoff Pearson).  A special award was made to David McKay for an incredible effort getting the sunken Phoenix back on the race track the following day.

While there were no red flags today, the protest committee were kept busy with eight protests and hearings held on each of the first three days.  It took two hearings to unravel the facts of the start line incident in Race 6 involving four boats which saw two with significant damage and one sinking at Clontarf Beach before reaching the safety of the MHYC Marina.

Many thanks to the Middle Harbour Yacht Club race management volunteers, the protest panel and NSW J24 Association volunteers for enabling the Championships to run so smoothly, and to Marg Fraser-Martin for the great photography.

For the latest results and event information, go to https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/regattas-championships/australian-j24-championships-2020

Action Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin

Prizegiving Photos

Read more: Brendan Lee repeats J24 Nationals win

Edake wins Pittwater One Design Trophy

By Jennie Hughes

There was absolutely no stopping Jeff Carter and the Edake crew today as they smashed out two quick wins in races five and six, putting them so far ahead they had won the regatta before the last race had begun.

Carter had the win in the bag after the most spectacular finish in race six, where down to the last fifty metres Exile were three boat lengths ahead.  Never to be underestimated, Carter caught a small vein of pressure giving them a hotter angle to the finish, where they pipped Exile by less than a quarter of a boat length as the race finished with cheers from spectators and crew.

“Today was very close racing.  In race six we were able to work our way into second place behind Exile.  We had to be patient on the last leg downhill and felt the boat end was favoured, so we broke away to the pin.  Exile came back a little later and that’s when Harry (Price) and Alice (Tarnawski) decided to let them have the pin, while we put the speed throttle down to the boat end. 

We worked the lumpy conditions and crossed in first by the smallest of margins to take the win.  We were not sure of how many points we had on the others but as it turned out we didn’t need to finish the last race of the day.  We played it safe and gave Outlaw a run for their money and finished second.  The back to back regatta wins is a good start to the season, however, we still have room for improvement.

Reigning National Champion Tom Quick’s Outlaw narrowly snuck into second place and whilst they are not dominating as they did last season, they are always on the podium and the competitive team will be on the hunt for a win in January.  

The Exile crew, with substitute helmsman Sam Hill, along with his rock star tactician Finn Alexander, were strong all weekend and just missed out on second place to Outlaw by one point. 

Hats off to Bob Bennett and Tommy Spithill for organising the Youth Development Team on Enigma who impressed all competitors. 

That’s a wrap for 2019! The next Farr 40 regatta will be held in January at Middle Harbour Yacht Club where eleven entries have been confirmed, as the rest of the fleet reunite and get down to business in the lead up to a massive year with the NSW State Titles, National Championships and then the big one, the Farr 40 Worlds 2020.

The Class would like to thank Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and all the wonderful staff for their superb hospitality and PRO Steve Merrington and the race management team, who are so committed to our great sport. 

RESULTS 

1st – Edake (Jeff Carter) 13 points
2nd – Outlaw (Tom Quick) 18 points
3rd – Exile (Rob Reynolds and Sam Hill) 19 points
4th – Double Black (Rob Pitts) 20 points
5th – Enigma (Bob Bennett) 35 points

The Farr 40 Australian Class is proudly sponsored by Hacer Group.
             
Farr 40 Australia Website: www.farr40.asn.au 

Read more: Edake wins Pittwater One Design Trophy

The heat is on - Tinto leads Checkmate at the J24 Nationals

Australian J24 Championships Report - Saturday January 4

With the mercury rising to the mid-thirties, humidity around 40% and the breeze topping 20 knots, it was an exhausting third day of the 2020 Australian J24 Championships today.

Three windward-leeward races were completed on a course set between the Sow & Pigs Reef and North Head with an axis of 025 degrees for the first two.  MHYC’s John Crawford and Innamincka were fast out of the blocks today, claiming their second win of the series in Race 7 ahead of Stamped Urgent (David McKay / Cronulla SC) and Checkmate (Brendan Lee / Sandringham YC).  The breeze had freshened to 18 knots in Race 8 and Steve Wright and Tinto (Cronulla SC) were back at the front, leading Stamped Urgent and Checkmate to the line.

For the final race of the day, the breeze had backed to 015 degrees and was 20 plus knots.  Simon Grain and the crew of Jet scored their first win, with Tinto in second and Innamincka third.  After nine races, Steve Wright’s Tinto has a four point lead over Brendan Lee’s Checkmate in the championship series score.  David McKay’s Stamped Urgent is another seven points adrift in third.

To make sure there is time to get the final three races of the series completed tomorrow, organisers have moved the start time one hour earlier.  The full fleet are expected to be on the course at noon in a forecast fresh southerly and lower temperatures.

For the latest results and event information, go to https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/regattas-championships/australian-j24-championships-2020

Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin

Read more: The heat is on - Tinto leads Checkmate at the J24 Nationals

Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship winners declared

Despite the rather melancholy weather, the competition was as stiff as ever in the 42nd running of the Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC), hosted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC) over the weekend.

Gerry Hatton’s Bushranger crew came down from ‘The Alfreds’ on Pittwater and conquered in IRC Division 1. Hatton is away, so Michael Fountain was left in charge of the Mat 1245, and after finishing third in the passage race yesterday, pulled out all stops with 1-2-1 results to beat nearest rival, Bob Cox’s DK46, Nine Dragons by three points. Darryl Hodgkinson’s Carkeek 40, Victoire, was third on countback after winning the passage race.

“Bushranger has had a fantastic relationship with Nine Dragons. Bob Cox was pretty persistent that we should come and compete at the SSORC,” he said of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club yachtsman who won Division 1 of the regatta last year and is a regular on the podium.  

“Bob loves the fact that there is hardly ever 30 seconds between us on the race track; you make one mistake and you’re gone,” he continued. “We enjoy racing against each other and enjoy each other’s company. There is good spirit between the two of us.”

Competitors at the SSORC were put through their paces in a very shifty and light 6 to 10 knots of breeze for yesterday’s passage race, followed by a soft 10-knot south-easterly on bumpy seas for the three windward/leeward races, Fountain admitting, “Bushranger loves the bump.”

Division 2 went to newcomer, Soozal, the King 40 skippered by Keiran Mulcahy who with his wife, recently imported the boat from California. He could not have been more pleased with the outcome of Soozal’s Australian offshore debut.

“We’re all a bit stunned,” Mulcahy confessed. “We went out there a little apprehensive, it being our first regatta. We’re thrilled. We didn’t know what to expect, or what was going to happen. It turned out to be a good exercise.”

Mulcahy, who next month takes on the 628 nautical mile 75^th Sydney Hobart, said: “It turned out to be the right decision to bring the boat from California.  Twelve years old and it races like a rabbit. It’s proved itself over the last weekend.”

In her first outing, Soozal cleaned up, scoring three wins from four races to defeat nearest competitor and local, Jack Stening and Colin Gunn’s Sydney 36, Stormaway, which also finished bridesmaid last year. Stormaway won Race 2, to finish three points in arrears, while Chris Heraghty’s Sydney 38, Risk, was third, a further two points behind.

Speaking on Day 1’s soft breeze, Mulcahy said, “The boat was designed for 15-20 knot winds, so it was a surprise to win the opening passage race. Today was more designed for us weatherwise. Soozal is a quirky boat and a sistership to the Mat 1245. They share the same designer, Mark Mills, but the designs are slightly different.”

In the TP52 series, defending champion, Marcus Blackmore’s Hooligan, came good again to claim the trophy. A big supporter of sailing, Blackmore won all three races in a depleted fleet. David Pescud’s SWD Wot Eva took second place, her crew putting in the hard yards ahead of the Sydney Hobart.  

The next major offshore event for MHYC is the Sydney Harbour Regatta to be held on the weekend of March 7 and 8 in 2020.  The 2020 SSORC will be held from 7-8 November, three weeks earlier than usual, as a lead-up to the Farr 40 World Championship being hosted in Sydney.

MHYC organisers thank the Race Committee: Principal Race Officer, Denis Thompson, Saturday Race Officer Steve Tucker, and their race teams. Thanks also to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia for making its course boats available and Bob Cox for all his efforts to promote this event.

“We also thank all competitors and especially those making the effort to come down from Pittwater for the regatta,” MHYC Special Events Chairman, Ian Box said.

MHYC, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, expresses its thanks to sponsors: Helly Hansen, Club Marine, Oatley Wines, Short Marine, Vittoria Coffee and Key Sun Zinke for their support.

All information, including full results: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au   

Di Pearson/MHYC media

Presentation photos....

Regatta images by Andrea Francolini....

Read more: Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship winners declared