The Inter School Teams Racing
Held at SoPYC as part of the Yachting WA events list, the teams racing is fast and furious when the weather is good. Sailed over a short course in Pacers ( a one class boat ), teams from all over Perth and as far away as Esperance make their way to the South of Perth Yacht club to compete on the Swan river, close to Jetty one so the spectators have great viewing from the jetty and from the shore as well.
The event will be covered over the three days between the 30th of April and the 2nd of May.
A disc of the images from the three days is available with image sizes between 1 to 2 mb . Cost $25 including postage until the 20th of May if ordered in that time frame. After that $30 ( includes postage and handling)
The event will be covered over the three days between the 30th of April and the 2nd of May.
A disc of the images from the three days is available with image sizes between 1 to 2 mb . Cost $25 including postage until the 20th of May if ordered in that time frame. After that $30 ( includes postage and handling)
Day one. Tuesday the 30th of April.
With a large number of starters in this event it was no surprise to see the South of Perth Yacht club humming along with the number of sailors attending. With the usual suspects... Scotch , Wesley, Shenton College, Christchurch and others we had Aquinas coming along for their first taste of the water for a while. With a couple of junior champions on the team they should at least make a good showing. However don't disregard our friends from CBC, Kolbe , St Marks and more . Then add in the teams from Esperance. My personal favourites and the ones I've barracked for for the last few years. And gotten into trouble as you're not supposed to do it from the start boat. I will learn eventually.
The day started with light breeze out of the Nor East and was enough to get the teams out racing. After 10 flights or so it started to track around a little and the finish line ended up next to the spectator jetty. Good one! Eventually the breeze decided to drop right out, shortly after midday and a quick break was taken for all. The the Westerly came in and back onto the water we went.
With the line reset, the sailing began with a little more vigour. No white caps to be seen, but just enough breeze to make them work. As the day progressed, the breeze both strengthened and diminished, but was generally constant in direction. The first day results are to be seen in the link below. Enjoy the images.
http://www.sopyc.com.au/media/state_schools_teams_racing_results_30apr2013.pdf
The day started with light breeze out of the Nor East and was enough to get the teams out racing. After 10 flights or so it started to track around a little and the finish line ended up next to the spectator jetty. Good one! Eventually the breeze decided to drop right out, shortly after midday and a quick break was taken for all. The the Westerly came in and back onto the water we went.
With the line reset, the sailing began with a little more vigour. No white caps to be seen, but just enough breeze to make them work. As the day progressed, the breeze both strengthened and diminished, but was generally constant in direction. The first day results are to be seen in the link below. Enjoy the images.
http://www.sopyc.com.au/media/state_schools_teams_racing_results_30apr2013.pdf
Wednesday the 1st of May.
Getting down to the yacht club in the early afternoon, the northerly is starting to hump up a little. Not as bad as was suspected, but a healthy 10 to 15 knots and Start officer Rob was watching the gizmo as the breeze swung and came back... all in the same area of effort, but certainly punching above yesterdays breezes.
I had had a working morning and had to jump on to the start boat, with many thanks to the bosun, Casey who dropped me on board and a welcome from the start gang. The course was set with a fine photo opp on the start with the light working for us and the second and important leg down wind right next to the start boat. Great down windshots.
The teams were fired up and the noise from the combatants, sorry competitors, was sometimes deafening as they rallied each over up for the start and the battle for the 5 minutes of guts and glory. Didn't matter whether you were a guy or a gal, it was get out of the road or be part of it, providing that you were in the wrong of course. And thats what the umpires were for. For this event, Phil was the Chief Umpire, added and abetted by a wonderful team of hard working fellows who had their hands full at times.
At times the weather picked up to 20 knots, particularly down the right hand side of the course and big gains were made by boats who were early into the pressure, but skill still had the count and in teams racing it's the job of the controller to ensure that boats are where they should be. Enough said.. enjoy the photo's.
Please note that Thursdays images may go up on Friday as I have a comittment on Thursday after presentations.
I had had a working morning and had to jump on to the start boat, with many thanks to the bosun, Casey who dropped me on board and a welcome from the start gang. The course was set with a fine photo opp on the start with the light working for us and the second and important leg down wind right next to the start boat. Great down windshots.
The teams were fired up and the noise from the combatants, sorry competitors, was sometimes deafening as they rallied each over up for the start and the battle for the 5 minutes of guts and glory. Didn't matter whether you were a guy or a gal, it was get out of the road or be part of it, providing that you were in the wrong of course. And thats what the umpires were for. For this event, Phil was the Chief Umpire, added and abetted by a wonderful team of hard working fellows who had their hands full at times.
At times the weather picked up to 20 knots, particularly down the right hand side of the course and big gains were made by boats who were early into the pressure, but skill still had the count and in teams racing it's the job of the controller to ensure that boats are where they should be. Enough said.. enjoy the photo's.
Please note that Thursdays images may go up on Friday as I have a comittment on Thursday after presentations.
The Third Day.
Dark and stormy was the forecast and nobody was disappointed.
Storm light is so good and I mean it. Sometimes I'm fighting to get enough light on the subject and then bing out comes the sun and lights up the day for me.
The day started as forecast with an increasing breeze that was out of the north west and was frankly starting to hump up as the day went on. By midday, race officer Kim had the racing shifted to calmer waters in the Canning river, but the rain squalls didn't care and came howling over the top of the start box at SoPYC and gave us merry hell with boats falling over left right and centre.
The final session of the round robins was sailed in the morning and then into the semis and finals. As a team out of nowhere, Aquinas did a fabulous job of getting up there into the final four, losing to a firm favourite Shenton College who came in third. The usual suspects, Christchurch A and Scotch College A having fought it out for the last two and an half days, then ventured out onto the water and Christchurch A displayed their ability by taking the finals three-nil.
My thanks to SoPYC who kept me on the water and to the umpires who graciously consented to taking me on their craft while umpiring. To Robin from Mandurah YC, who ran the start boat and his hardworking team who punched through the flights day after day. To Kim, the RO, who has done this many times and has worked hard for each one. And to the competitors. I've watched them year after year and I'm stunned with the ability being shown. To Dean from YWA who organises these events and asks me to photograph them as Mike Downing did.
The final top eight ....Ist Christchurch Grammar A's; 2nd Scotch College A; 3rd Shenton College ; 4th
Aquinas ; 5th Christchurch Grammar B's; 6th Esperance High School ; 7th Scotch College B's ; 8th John XXIII.
However it wasn't the winning. It was the competiton that counted.
Well sailed.
The day started as forecast with an increasing breeze that was out of the north west and was frankly starting to hump up as the day went on. By midday, race officer Kim had the racing shifted to calmer waters in the Canning river, but the rain squalls didn't care and came howling over the top of the start box at SoPYC and gave us merry hell with boats falling over left right and centre.
The final session of the round robins was sailed in the morning and then into the semis and finals. As a team out of nowhere, Aquinas did a fabulous job of getting up there into the final four, losing to a firm favourite Shenton College who came in third. The usual suspects, Christchurch A and Scotch College A having fought it out for the last two and an half days, then ventured out onto the water and Christchurch A displayed their ability by taking the finals three-nil.
My thanks to SoPYC who kept me on the water and to the umpires who graciously consented to taking me on their craft while umpiring. To Robin from Mandurah YC, who ran the start boat and his hardworking team who punched through the flights day after day. To Kim, the RO, who has done this many times and has worked hard for each one. And to the competitors. I've watched them year after year and I'm stunned with the ability being shown. To Dean from YWA who organises these events and asks me to photograph them as Mike Downing did.
The final top eight ....Ist Christchurch Grammar A's; 2nd Scotch College A; 3rd Shenton College ; 4th
Aquinas ; 5th Christchurch Grammar B's; 6th Esperance High School ; 7th Scotch College B's ; 8th John XXIII.
However it wasn't the winning. It was the competiton that counted.
Well sailed.