Photo by Roger Blasse
The 38th Victorian State Championships were held at BRYC over the Victorian long weekend of 9-11 March 2013. There were initial concerns harboured that the impact of the long weekend may reduce competitor numbers, and for various reasons, quite a few of the normally highly supportive Blairgowrie fleet couldn’t participate. Yet the Victorian Championship still produced a very healthy 57 entrants of all age groups. Notably for the class there was a beneficial input of sailors from South Australia and for the first time a couple of sailors from Western Australia. Well done to all.
The conditions were trying on all days and unfortunately so trying on the Monday that the boats did not hit the water as the fickle if not non-existent bay breeze and searing heat put paid to any chance of a race.We managed to get 2 races on both Saturday and Sunday and the Race Management worked hard to earn their coin in an unstable North Easter on the Saturday and an oscillating and moderating sea breeze on the Sunday. Well done to the PRO and the team for keeping cool heads in the conditions
As evidence of the closeness of the Sabre Fleet we have come to expect, every new race saw a different winner , with guns to Nick Mouat, Jack Felsenthal, Gary McLennan and Scott Olsen through Races 1 to 4. Condolences to provisional Race 3 winner Brent Frankcombe who, on not getting the gun, was found to have rounded the top mark incorrectly. He was last seen enrolling for a Masters 101 in the Art of Racing Flags. Tim Van der Veen was last seen to be filling out a cheque for the cost , after having loyally followed the multiple titles winner incorrectly around the top mark
Some notable highlights of the regatta were
Jack Felsenthal finishing Top Victorian in second place, and 1st Youth, Also in the age of fibreglass Jack managed to pull this off in a timber boat
John Dick Winner of the Super Veteran (over 70) Class at the tender age of 83 (legendary performance)
16 Entrants in the Veteran or Super Veteran category
Winners in Categories and Overall Top 10 Were:
Youth Jack Felsenthal BRYC
Ladies Fiona McCulloch BRYC
Seniors Tim Van der Veen LSC
Masters Scott Olsen PDSC
Grand Master Mark Soulsby ADSC
Veteran Barry Eastgate BRYC
Super Veteran John Dick BRYC
1 Scott Olsen PDSC
2 Jack Felsenthal BRYC
3 Alister Danks BYS
4 Tim Van der Veen LSC
5 Mark Soulsby ADSC
6 Gary McLennan BRYC
7 Murray Shaw IHSC
8 Nick Mouat BRYC
9 Brent Frankombe MMYC
10 Barry Eastgate BRYC
Link to Victorian States 2013 Full Results
Review by Russell Rooney