Metropolitan Championships Drummoyne SC
Daniel Costandi 4.7 Winner
The NSW & ACT Metropolitan Championships were held over the weekend of 17-18th March at Drummoyne Sailing Club. DSC is a fabulous club with a great rigging area and on and off water facilities.
There were 77 entries for the event over the three fleets – 4.7 – 20 entries, Radial – 33 entries, Standard – 24 entries.
The regatta was in two parts with a gentle 9-12 knot easterly on Saturday followed by a boisterous 18 gusting to 30 knot north westerly on Sunday.
RO Col Chidgey set the sailors some challenges. Considering the tight race track defined by the west harbour islands and the many moored craft Col opted for journey courses rather than our normal trapezoid (essentially windward and return courses). There were two days of starboard rounding courses. This combined with restrictions on sailing inside moorings (including very many with little more than a small red float to mark them) lead sailors to refresh their knowledge of RRS rules which we seldom need to consider in our events. Some sailors managed the new situations and environment better than others.
Five races, of the scheduled six, were completed – two on Saturday and three on Sunday.
Zoe Thompson clear Radial Winner
The 4.7′s were dominated by Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS) who comprised 11 of the entries and the first five places. Daniel Costandi won all three of the breezy day races and won from Jack Ferguson who won both of the light wind races. Third was Sylvie Stannage who as well as RSYS also sails from adjacent Hunters Hill Sailing Club.
The Radials were dominated by the fabulous trio from WA lead by Zoe Thompson who won counting three first and one second place. Fellow WA sailors Elyse Ainsworth was second and Jacinta Ainsworth third. Jack Littlechild from RSYS and Double Bay SC was 4th and first Under 19 and Henry Otto from the same clubs was 5th and first Under 17.
In the Standards Nic Skulander from Woollahra SC counted three bullets in a convincing win from Oskar Hansen and Zac Skulander both from Middle Harbour ASC. Oskar was the first Under 21.
The full results of the event are HERE.
The DSC did a great job in staging this regatta. Thanks to DSC Commodore Grant Wakefield, Sailing Manager Peter Robinson and Col Chidgey and their teams for a great regatta.
There are some terrific photos of the event by Peter Robinson linked below. Just click the thumbnail to see the photo full screen.
