Flying Fifteen State Championships at Tin Can Bay Yacht Club
Boats and crews travelled from as far away as Gippsland Lake, Lake Macquarie, and Cairns to swell the local numbers from Brizvegas and Tin Can Bay Yacht Club.
Participants included the current Australian champions (and Hong Kong) as well as two past national champions crews who competed in the 5-race event over two days.
Much to the relief of the organisers, the previous day’s gale warning was cancelled and Day 1 was raced in a 20 knot south-easterly and ebbing tide. Racing was very tight across the field and after two races the leader board was crammed with only a few points separating the top 5 boats.
On day 2 the wind had steadied with a fluctuating 10 to 15 knot southerly for the final three races of the series. This provided some big shifts to keep crew eyes out of the boat and looking for any advantageous lifts.
Heading into the last race the national champions Ashley Smith and Adam Kingston on Sake needed a top 3 finish to take out the regatta whilst second place was up for grabs between four boats.
On the last lap local Tin Can Bay crew of Ken and Lee Bubb on Cool Bubbles snatched the lead from the Sake to take line honours and secure second place overall and a point clear of third-placed Craig and Ian Rainey on Where the Bloody Hell are You from Gippsland Lakes.
The Tin Can fleet also shared the spoils in the other major trophies with Peter Shaw and Ava McAndrew on Flying Fish taking silver division; Michelle and Alex McAndrew on Topaz winning the classic division; and Rob Clarke and Kay Muir on Fudge Factor picking up the handicap division flying under their trademark red spinnaker with a bone in its teeth.
Kay Muir
