Prize performances by top sailors

WITH a variety of events taking place both offshore and in the bay for boats of all shapes and sizes, the 2016 / 2017 sailing season kicked off with a breezy Barts Bash, in mid-September last year with 194 participants registered on 52 boats. Some notable performances took place this summer sailing season. Leading the roll of honour was Sean Jones, skipper of Bandit who earned himself four podium places this season on his catamaran.

Glenwood’s skipper scored a first in the Port Captain’s Sprints and seconds in the Commodore Series, Jonesy Sprints and second overall in the Multihull Division of the Wednesday night racing. Container World in the OD Division, crewed solely by scholars featured four times on the podium. Skippered by Brendan Humphreys in three of the races, Humphreys got two thirds in the Commodore Series and Sigma Series and a second in the Jonesy Sprints. Christoff Schutte led his young team to a second in the Port Captain’s Sprints.

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Bandit’s nemesis, Crazy Diamond skippered by feisty catamaran sailor, Wayne Smith had an impressive season with three firsts in the multihull division. He topped the leader board in the Commodore Series, Jonesy Sprints and first overall in the Multihull Division of the Wednesday night racing. The catamaran clan have had a hugely successful year with six of their sailors competing in the Hobie Multiworlds and Europeans 2017 in the Netherlands and Garth Loudon and Robbie Edouard-Betsy being invited to represent South Africa at the ‘Olympics of Hobie events’, the prestigious Hobie World Cat regatta in Germany.

Theuns Nel on his smaller keelboat, Candi had a first and second in the C Division in the Commodore Series and Two Handed Race and a third in the E Division overall in the Wednesday night racing. The club L26 yacht, SLFC Spindrift got to stretch her legs with a variety of helmsmen, Rudi Fokkens helmed his team to a second in the OD Division in the Commodore Series. Florence Marshall topped the OD Division in the Port Captains Sprints and the Commodore of Point Yacht Club, Craig Millar got a second in the Two Handed Race.

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The smaller dinghies had a fantastic season, getting in two Pursuit Races, two series and a dedicated Flying Fifteen Match Racing event in. Flying Fifteens owned the two Pursuit Races, taking five of the six podium spots. In the Jonsson Cup Gregg Hurter and Jeff Rose took the win, with Rear Commodore of Dinghies, Myles White and Estelle Buys in second and in third Craig Campbell and Chris Kloppenborg. In the Bar Anniversary Pursuit Race, Campbell Alexander and Jeremy Kriek took top honours, second was Paul Changuion and Tim Duguid and third as Wayne Smith on his Hobie 14.

The next event for the yacht club, is the Commodores Dinner featuring the Jazz Minkeys and their brand new show “A Night Down in New Orleans at Egyptian Ellas” on the 26 August.