Sailors prepare for start of Sigma Series
The Point Yacht Club members are eager to once again hit the water with the club's first big race of the year.
DURBAN’S warm waters have enticed local sailors back onto the water after the festive season break and they look forward to the Point Yacht Club’s first event, the start of the Sigma Series on Sunday, 21 January.
The Sigma Series will be raced offshore and is a long-haul race track.
Gregg Hurter will be back to defend his title in the A Division and hopes to stay ahead of the zippy Flyer helmed by Brad Rayson. Gregg and his team were victorious in this past weekend’s long haul race to uMdloti.
The Lipton Challenge will take place in warmer waters mid-year and the One Design class will undoubtedly have a number of boats shuffling for space at the start line.
Rear Commodore for Keelers, Jon Mashall, said, “It has been encouraging to see the enthusiasm shown by the keelboat sailors. After the successful Sangoma Cruise ended off the sailing year, and the Lipton announcement returning to Durban, the guys are eager to get back on the water.”
Celebrating an early anniversary for the 65th birthday of Charlie’s Pub, Durban’s sailors will hit the water for the first big dinghy event of 2018 with the Bar Anniversary pursuit race on Saturday, 27 January.
The highly competitive pursuit race gets underway with a staggered start as the slowest boats set off first and are followed by the faster boats.
n the 2017 race, the Flying Fifteen class dominated the event, with Campbell Alexander and Jeremy Kriek joining forces to take the honours.
They were followed by the competitive team of Paul Changuion and Tim Duguid with Hobie 14 sailor, Wayne Smith taking the bronze.
Rear Commodore for Dinghies at the Point Yacht Club, Myles White, said, “It will be interesting to see if the Flying Fifteens will dominate, or if we will have a strong breeze to favour the multithulls. If the weather gods dish up a 12-knot breeze, the Lasers will be at an advantage.”
After racing, Charlie’s Bar will be the place to be, White said, “There will be a party at PYC after the race, so be there as we celebrate the occasion. The pub was officially opened on 28 January in 1953, and in celebration of that anniversary we get to sail annually for the honours of holding the silver mug, which is an oversized beer tankard, and then raising a pint in the pub in honour of the two Charlies who were instrumental in building the place.”
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