The 2013 Australian O'pen Cup March 29th -April 1st 2013
I first met the BIC prior to the Rumble on the Reach at East Freo about 2 years ago.
I was impressed, minimal controls to confuse a young sailor, as slippery as an eel and the ability to take off like a rocket. Oh and no bailing .
Until I get the pictures under way from the regatta, take a look at this young sailor who was really on his first days. His dad was running me around in a rib taking photo's of the BICs prior to the Rumble and afterwards, when I looked at these images, they formed a story of their own.
Now that the event is over.
There is a cd of the images for private use, something like 400 images at between 1 to 2 mb each. Cost mailed to you will be $30, but until Sunday next the 14th of April I will accept orders for $25.
E files between 1 to 2 mb individually $7.50 each and full sized between 5 to 7 mb at $35 each. These can be purchased by contacting me and I will invoice you and give you payment methods ( funds transfer) .
Prints may be ordered thru me with A4 sizes at $14 each and mailing costs of $5. 6 by 4 images at $5 each with $2.50 mailing costs.
I was impressed, minimal controls to confuse a young sailor, as slippery as an eel and the ability to take off like a rocket. Oh and no bailing .
Until I get the pictures under way from the regatta, take a look at this young sailor who was really on his first days. His dad was running me around in a rib taking photo's of the BICs prior to the Rumble and afterwards, when I looked at these images, they formed a story of their own.
Now that the event is over.
There is a cd of the images for private use, something like 400 images at between 1 to 2 mb each. Cost mailed to you will be $30, but until Sunday next the 14th of April I will accept orders for $25.
E files between 1 to 2 mb individually $7.50 each and full sized between 5 to 7 mb at $35 each. These can be purchased by contacting me and I will invoice you and give you payment methods ( funds transfer) .
Prints may be ordered thru me with A4 sizes at $14 each and mailing costs of $5. 6 by 4 images at $5 each with $2.50 mailing costs.
Day one Friday the 29th of March
The day started with briefings to introduce the volunteers to each other and to allow the teams to form. With PRO John Taylor at the helm and the support of a competent umpiring crew, the regatta was explained to us as the unique format that the BICS enjoy. Sailing for fun.... just tell your skipper that!
The sailors were briefed and the boats were out on the water shortly after in a steady Easterly that was gusting down either side of the course. Freshwater bay is a protected area and there is very little chop and apart from the swirling effect as the wind comes off the rises at either side of the course there is little to worry about.
The first race was a sorting out race where the sailors had the chance to get out there, have fun and decide whether they were sailing in Gold fleet or Silver fleet. Not a punishing morning and at the end of the racing, during the luncheon adjournment 13 of the 56 sailors decided to opt for Silver and 43 went for Gold.
Just a note to say that there are representatives from right around Aus and we have been joined by New Zealand as well. Great have visitors from NZ .
Remember that this race was the easy one... this afternoon will be different.
The sailors were briefed and the boats were out on the water shortly after in a steady Easterly that was gusting down either side of the course. Freshwater bay is a protected area and there is very little chop and apart from the swirling effect as the wind comes off the rises at either side of the course there is little to worry about.
The first race was a sorting out race where the sailors had the chance to get out there, have fun and decide whether they were sailing in Gold fleet or Silver fleet. Not a punishing morning and at the end of the racing, during the luncheon adjournment 13 of the 56 sailors decided to opt for Silver and 43 went for Gold.
Just a note to say that there are representatives from right around Aus and we have been joined by New Zealand as well. Great have visitors from NZ .
Remember that this race was the easy one... this afternoon will be different.
Day One the afternoon.
Great ! The seabreeze is in.
Smiles all over the place and the sailors were on the water quickly.
The PRO had the race under way with a mimimum of fuss and the racing began in earnest by 1330. I must thank the organisers for getting me on the water and for Daniel Medd the President of the Open BICs Assoc in Aust. doing the right thing and hosting me onto the water and helping me with the minutae of the BIC racing format. Once the racing was under way the breeze coninued to build and went from a 10 knot WSW at 2 pm to a decent SSW between 15 to 20 knots as we left the water at 5 pm. Suffice to say the Oscar flag was up and the sailors were allowed to pump and ooch as they saw fit.
Great light. great breeze and good photo's. Remember that for every one you see, 8 didn't make it or were part of a sequence that could be dropped. When ordering , you can use the forms available on the day or contact me through the web site.
See you on the water tomorrow.
Smiles all over the place and the sailors were on the water quickly.
The PRO had the race under way with a mimimum of fuss and the racing began in earnest by 1330. I must thank the organisers for getting me on the water and for Daniel Medd the President of the Open BICs Assoc in Aust. doing the right thing and hosting me onto the water and helping me with the minutae of the BIC racing format. Once the racing was under way the breeze coninued to build and went from a 10 knot WSW at 2 pm to a decent SSW between 15 to 20 knots as we left the water at 5 pm. Suffice to say the Oscar flag was up and the sailors were allowed to pump and ooch as they saw fit.
Great light. great breeze and good photo's. Remember that for every one you see, 8 didn't make it or were part of a sequence that could be dropped. When ordering , you can use the forms available on the day or contact me through the web site.
See you on the water tomorrow.
Day Two Easter Saturday
Down to the yacht club at 0830 with sleepy eyes, a need for a cuppa was not going to happen until the coffee machine woke up. Blast! So head out onto a dying Easterly at 100o hrs only to be sent back onto dry land to watch the young sailors do the freestyle events. Hmmmmmm! I like it. Better than sailing lessons any time. Just as the third set of teams headed out onto the water -- the seabreeze trickled in and the PRO announced that there would be a start at 1230 hrs. Eat now or go hungry.
Then the breeze came in gradually, like a reluctant school boy getting out of bed on Monday.
And they set up for slalom courses.. now that looks like fun. Mad screaming reaches and hairy gybes when the breeze is honking. Well it never quite got there, but there were some great moments. My thanks to chief umpire Gary who kindly escorted me around the river today.
Enjoy the photo's and to let you know a short video is coming along as well.
Then the breeze came in gradually, like a reluctant school boy getting out of bed on Monday.
And they set up for slalom courses.. now that looks like fun. Mad screaming reaches and hairy gybes when the breeze is honking. Well it never quite got there, but there were some great moments. My thanks to chief umpire Gary who kindly escorted me around the river today.
Enjoy the photo's and to let you know a short video is coming along as well.
Day three Sunday the 30th of April
The breeze was still good from the East in the morning so the regatta fired up with an Adventure Sail with every one off to get Easter Eggs from Point Walter . With a Le Mans start in two waves the sailing was fast and furious with everyone getting into the spirit. Half a dozen volunteers stood in the shallows and handed out Easter Eggs to the sailors who then headed back to the beach to see if they could beat the faster boats coming up behind.
The breeze dropped away so the rest of the free style events took place with some enterprising acts underway as we waited for the seabreeze to fill in. The PRO John Taylor again predicted the arrival and had us on the water by 1300 hrs with the first puffs coming through shortly after. A moderate seabreeze ensued that gave the sailors a good run for their money. It started to clock left to the South as it is the want of the Doctor, but as I left at 1730 hrs the breeze was dropping out and by the time I got around to the Canning river the Easterlies were coming through.
The work of the volunteers and the race officials over the regatta has to be commented on. Nothing is too hard and the results show in the eagerness of the sailors to get onto the water and the volunteers have an excellent camraderie. It is a pleasure to photograph in these conditions. Enjoy the images from Sunday.
The breeze dropped away so the rest of the free style events took place with some enterprising acts underway as we waited for the seabreeze to fill in. The PRO John Taylor again predicted the arrival and had us on the water by 1300 hrs with the first puffs coming through shortly after. A moderate seabreeze ensued that gave the sailors a good run for their money. It started to clock left to the South as it is the want of the Doctor, but as I left at 1730 hrs the breeze was dropping out and by the time I got around to the Canning river the Easterlies were coming through.
The work of the volunteers and the race officials over the regatta has to be commented on. Nothing is too hard and the results show in the eagerness of the sailors to get onto the water and the volunteers have an excellent camraderie. It is a pleasure to photograph in these conditions. Enjoy the images from Sunday.
Day Four the last two races and presentations
The day dawns with a touch of fire in the air... 30 degrees and a dying easterly. The coffee is hot and the boats head out ready for light breeze sailing. It's the day after the night before and the mums and dads are as tired as the jumior sailors as the night was long and the lack of sleep was evident on one or two of the sailors as well. Even in light winds, there is still something to look at, just not as much..so faces did it for me and then we had presentations. You have to "like" Daniels shirt. It's the brightest I've seen. Ok .. two sets of images. The last day & then presentations.