2022 Women's State Keelboat Championships
19th of March
Sailed out of Royal Perth YC
A sou easterly ruled the roost today and Matilda Bay was the venue for the ladies sailing event. Five races were required and six boats representing five clubs were in evidence.
It was an easterly and picking the side to go on was all important. Freshy had rocked up with a couple of smick teams and Lucy Alderson was touted as the great young hope with Sandy Anderson driving a dependable crew who know these boats backwards. East Freo and South Perth were both fielding teams that needed more time in fleet racing though SoPYC displayed the occasional flash of brilliance. Royal Perth had Jenny Richardson and a team of women who sail ( in fact well enough to take the first race ) but the exemplar of the fleet was the Freo mob.
With Caroline ( Caz to her mates ) moving onto the foredeck and Jessica Lundh taking the helm it was a formidable combo coupled with a good team that clearly had been working hard. Race one was a feisty one with RP getting up to take the win and Race two had the stamp of approval from FSC with Caroline Bush working the foredeck like the champion she is. Lucy from RFBYC made it clear she wasn't to be forgotten and slipped into second place with a smile on her face and a corresponding one on the Freshie coach. Races three and four went to FSC predictably, with the deckchairs being re arranged to show that not everyone was going to be easy to beat.
Then low and behold, RFBYC took the 5th Race with Freo fouling out big time. As they say s#$t happens and Lucy Alderson was smiling again. Then the unpredictable happened and not one or two boats parked up on the mud near the river.. but three . A break was taken while the hardworking RO re organised the course, taking it forward a way and the boats were dragged off. (A comment from one of the guests on my boat was that the people towing need to be careful of ropes breaking and back lashing into the faces of the people monitoring the tow rope. Especially when they are on the bow)
Freo took the next race and then Lucy popped up to take the next and last race with seven races completed in all. We all then scattered off to our various clubs as some of us had sailing commitments for the afternoon.
Well sailed to FSC and RFBYC's Lucy Alderson for making them work for it. All the sailors gave it a good shot and it was an entertaining morning. I hope that the bubbles afterwards were enjoyed.
Thanks to the umpires, the RP start team, the free food from the SoPYC supporters and of course SRS and Andy Fethers. Thanks also to Plonky and Phil who provided the driving and the commentary on the day.
Proud to support the SoPYC team..