Stellenbosch takes inter-varsity sailing title

THREE days of highly competitive match racing saw the University of Stellenbosch team scoop victory at the Inter-Varsity Match Racing Champs hosted by Point Yacht Club over the weekend.

Stellenbosch, captained by Alexander Ham and with Iliana Boura at the helm, were unbeaten heading into the finals. They sailed a flawless event, meeting UCT in the finals who had managed five fantastic wins.

UCT and Wits B took on each other in the penultimate race in the final round. There was a jostling for second on the log with DUT sitting on five points ahead of the UCT, Wits B clash, and both UCT and Wits B tied on four. For local team, DUT, they needed Wits B to win to enable them to make an appearance in the final. For the two teams tied on five points, it would depend on who had won the match race between them.

Judges, Ricky Robinson and Trent Bingham, located right behind the action spotted two yellow flag offences, one for either team. As soon as the horn for the start sounded, the team from Wits B opted to do their penalty before they had even crossed the start line. While the team from UCT, led by Peter Marsh, bolted out of the starting blocks using the penalty advantage to get as far ahead as possible.

Marsh and his team put their heads down and kept their nose in front, crossing the line seconds ahead of Wits B, helmed by Marcello Marcia. Marcia and the Wits B team sailed an impeccable race, gliding across the line meters behind the Cape Town team, having clawed back after their delayed start. The team from UCT notably not doing their penalty, Wits B crossed the finish, protesting. The judges quickly explained that if both teams have an equal amount of yellow flag penalties, they cancel each other out, so Marsh’s knowledge of the rules ensured their spot in the final.

Point Yacht Club’s vice commodore, Kevin Bingham was the race officer for the event, set an uncomplicated there-and-back race track at the end of the yacht mole. The races lasted around 20 minutes, with four L26 boats being used and the eight teams rotating boats so as not to have an advantage. “It was a great initiative; it has been years since we have seen any match racing on our waters, and I think the guys all enjoyed it! The teams have a lot to learn as it is quite a foreign style of racing, but next year I believe will be bigger and better. What was also promising for the future of sailing was the number of ladies in the teams. All-in-all, well done to everyone involved, even the weather played its part, dishing up a bit of everything as well,” he said.