Teenage Sandy Bay Sailing Club member Madeline Salter is giving the older veterans of the iconic Sharpie class a real run for their money in the 73rd Sharpie National championships on Hobart’s River Derwent.
After five races in light to moderate breezes, Maddy, on the helm of Gun Smoke, is 11th overall with a scorecard of 7-(16)-8-13-11 placing her top junior and leading women skipper in the 35 boat fleet.
She has, of course, a good crew in her cousin Julian Salter, a noted foiler Moth sailor, and her father Steve, making a comeback to Sharpies.
Other youngsters doing well including Alec Bailey, sailing Gentlemens Relish, in eighth place place including a win in race one, and Ollie Burnbell, sailing Bonfire and today notching up a seventh and a 12th.
Overall leader is South Australian Warpig (George McCloud) on 9 points, ahead of Zulu (Derek Milligan, NSW) and Don’t Poke the Bear (T Turton, SA) on 19 points, one point ahead of Tasmanian boat One Hump or Two (Drew Latham).
Today was a lay day for the Sharpies, with racing to continue on Thursday and Friday.
Peter Campbell
6 January 2015
