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Australia, Myuna Bay Australian Sprint Title 2007

Lake Macquarie

29 - 30 September

Report from Bill Tyler

The inaugural Australian Sprint Title for the OK Dinghy fleet was conducted at Wangi RSLASC in NSW on Saturday and Sunday 29 & 30 September. The regatta was the third annual Sprint series conducted by the NSW Association at Wangi and was again generously supported by the Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre, various heat sponsors and other trophy donors.

The event attracted 24 entries with Peter Yates from Victoria joining the NSW members for the week-end. Peter used his UK North laminated sail on the first day and it looked very impressive. Unfortunately the container returning the boats from the 2007 Worlds in Poland only arrived back in Melbourne last week so our National team members had not unloaded their boats prior to the event. This prevented some of our usual Victorian visitors from attending the event this year. Conditions for the regatta were ideal with brilliant Spring sunshine with very shifty westerly winds really testing competitors over the two days of the event.

Defending Champion Tim Davies sailed superbly in the light to moderate westerly to secure wins in the first three heats on Saturday. However, an 11 in the fourth heat proved just how tricky the conditions were when he was caught on the wrong side of one of the very big shifts early in the race. Paul Foster won that fourth race and with 3 4 and 3 in the first three races was looking good at the end of the first day. Peter Burton with 12 3 4 and 2 had a good day but Mick McQueen with 2 12 2 and 12 had mixed places due to the shifty conditions. Peter Lynch with 11 7 7 and 4, Peter Robinson with 5 13 6 and 9, Gareth Wells with 9 5 11 and 3 and Peter Wallace with 4 8 9 and 10 were also hanging in there at the end of day 1. Bill Tyler and Eddie O’Donnell were just two of many who couldn’t pick a shift in the first three heats but both found some help from above in the fourth race to finish with 14 15 12 and 5 and 15 16 13 and 7 when stumps were drawn. A great BBQ superbly prepared by chief cook and bottle washer Bob Kemp and Jono followed and this was washed down with a few too many very welcome drinks. We were all then ready for whatever conditions presented the next day.

Sunday on the lake gave us another great day with the westerly a little fresher but again very shifty as on the previous day. Paul was keen to get stuck into us again for heats 5, 6 and 7. In fact he was so keen he managed to score an OCS in two of the three races. Nothing to do with the flash yellow and red hull as our PRO called Paul as the only premature starter of the series. Tough luck for Paul as he again sailed very well and probably could have won the event if he had been a little more conservative at the starts. However, in the fresher conditions Tim again proved his consistency with 6 3 and 2 to successfully defend the sprint title he won last year. Peter Burton had another good day with 1 5 and 4 to finish second and Mick McQueen with 9 1 and 1 finished strongly to secure third place. Peter Robinson continued his good form from day 1 to score 2 8 and 5 to wrap up fourth place. Paul was fifth counting 2 and one of his OCS scores on the day. Peter Wallace with 3 11 and 7 finished 6 on a count back from Gareth who again sailed consistently with 5 10 and 9 to finish 7 overall. Bill and Eddie continued their battle from the previous day and both sailed better on day 2. Bill’s 4 6 and 8 was just good enough to pip Eddie’s 8 4 and 3 by one point for places 8 and 9. Peter Lynch rounded out the top ten with his good efforts sailing the borrowed “Kanga” in the event. With places of 16 17 and 10 in the fresher conditions Stumpy could not capitalise on his good starts as “Kanga” struggled with the pace in the latter stages of the three races.

Back on shore Stumpy then proved his skill as a mathematician to come up with the results for the very keenly contested Handicap Trophy. In a very tight contest Bill just pipped David and Gareth followed by Jono 4, Penguin 5, Craig McQueen 6, Peter Robinson 7, Peter Lynch 8, Eddie 9 and Mick 10.

On behalf of all competitors I would like to thank Peter Lynch for his great efforts in again organising this event and promoting it as the inaugural Australian Sprint Title. Stumpy worked tirelessly to secure the support of all the event sponsors to make the week-end the great success that it was. On the water the Wangi Club Captain Glenn Yates again missed sailing in the event to look after course laying and rescue craft operations. Sandra O’Donnell was our PRO and her control of the fleet was magnificent. Apart from a couple of problems with “Premature Paul” the fleet was very well behaved with no General Recalls required during the contest.

We also thank the volunteers who assisted Glenn and Sandra with our races. On Saturday, Bob Kemp, Tom O’Donnell and Ian from the Northbridge Senior group at Wangi. On Sunday, Bill Searles and Graham Engert from the Wangi Yacht group and Alan Stiel’s friend Terry. Our members welcome your assistance and very much appreciate your help.

Again we give our special thanks to Col Lynch for the two superb handcrafted cedar and silverash perpetual trophies for the Myuna Bay Sprint event.

Members of the International OK Association of Australia gratefully acknowledge our Event and Race Sponsors and other Trophy Donors. Your support of our activities is very much appreciated.

Event Naming Sponsor:

MYUNA BAY SPORT AND RECREATION CENTRE www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/myunabay

Individual Race Sponsors:

Race 1 won by Tim Davies and sponsored by:
POINT WOLSTONCROFT SPORT AND RECREATION CENTRE
www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/pointwolstoncroft

Race 2 won by Tim Davies and sponsored by:
WYEE NURSERY – 103 Wyee Road, Wyee. 2259
www.wyeenursery.com.au

Race 3 won by Tim Davies and sponsored by:
TK Building Pty Ltd – 509 Lake Road, Agenton. 2284

Race 4 won by Paul Foster and sponsored by:
COLVIN WINES – DeBeyers Vineyard, Pokolbin. 2320
www.colvinwines.com.au

Race 5 won by Peter Burton and sponsored by:
IGA RATHMINES – 4975 5280

Race 6 won by Mick McQueen and sponsored by:
RATHMINES BUTCHERY – 10 Fishing Point Road, Rathmines. 2283

Race 7 won by Mick McQueen and sponsored by:
COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY – Dr John and Marie Newton

Other Trophy Sponsors:

HORTSCAPE NEWCASTLE – www.hortscapes.com.au
DIVINE DÉCOR RATHMINES – 8 Fishing Point Road, Rathmines. 2283
RATHMINES CELLARS – 12 Fishing Point Road, Rathmines. 2283
CAREY BAY CELLARS – Laycock Street, Carey Bay. 2283
KWIK KERB WANGI – Nigel and Julie Wilson