Matt Bugg last Sunday was named 2016 Tasmanian Male Sailor of the Year – just one hour after flying back to Hobart following his final on-the-water training at Rio in preparation for the Paralympic Games.
“Next time I return to Hobart I hope it will be with the gold medal,” Bugg said after receiving the Yachting Tasmania Award from his father, YT president Ron Bugg, at an elite function at Bellerive Yacht Club.
Derwent Sailing Squadron member Matt Bugg is currently ranked fourth in the world in the International 2.4mR single-handed keelboat class, one of three sailing classes at the Rio Paralympics, after a string of international successes in Australia last summer and more recently, in Europe.
“I fly to Sydney late next week for the official naming of the sailing team for the Rio Paralympics,” added Bugg, who also was named Tasmanian Disabled Sailor of the Year.
CLub Vice Commodore Felicity Allison accepted the Club of the Year award from Ron Bugg
The Yachting Tasmanian Awards 2016 was a great day for Sandy Bay Sailing Club, being named 2016 Tasmanian Club of the Year and its members winning five individual awards.
Jasmin Galbraith and Chloe Fisher, young achievers in the high-performance 29er racing dinghy, were named Tasmanian Female Sailors of the Year.
The award for Outstanding Youth Achievement went to Sam Abel and his diminutive crew, Hugo Allison, who won the International Cadet world championship in July 2015.
Longtime Sandy Bay Sailing Club member Stuart Hamilton, a former world dinghy sailing champion, with sons following in his wake, was named Volunteer of the Year for his work in instigating innovative coaching programmes.
Coach of the Year Rohan Langford and Instructor of the Year Oliver Burnell both are also deeply involved in the Club’s Optimist and Tacker junior training.
Yachting Tasmanian awards winners for 2016.
Tasmania’s Yachting Personality of the Year, Hughie Lewis, is well-known to all keelboat racers on the Derwent not only as an enthusiastic skipper of Farr 40s and SB20, but for his contribution to Bellerive Yacht Club and the broader sailing community in Tasmania.
Other awards were:
Bennetto Medal for Offshore Sailing: Paul Einoder, who skippered his yacht Off-Piste to first place overall (AMS) in the 2015 Launceston to Hobart and went on to win the AMS and PHS divisions of the King of Derwent.
Tasmanian men and women sailors today achieved podium finishes in prestigious yachting championship at Cascais, Portugal and on Melbourne’s Port Phillip.
On a windy Port Phillip today, Derwent Sailing Squadron member Colleen Darcey, sailed the borrowed Melbourne yacht Absolut, an Archambault 35, to victory in the final race of the Australian Women’s’ Keelboat Regatta.
However, the win was not quite good enough to gain a first place overall in any of the three handicap divisions: AMS, IRC and EHC.
The all-women crew from Hobart’s major clubs, gained second overall under AMS and EHC scoring and third under IRC in which one point separated the top three boats.
In the AMS division, Absolut finished two points behind the Victorian boat More Noise, yesterday finishing the regatta with a third and a win.
Under EHC scoring, Absolut placed second overall, with a final day seventh and third, while in the IRC division three yachts finished just one point apart, Absolut placing third and a second to take third overall.
“We sailed consistently through the regatta and finished on a high note with first across the line race 6 with winds gusting up to 30 knots,” tactician and RYCT Rear Commodore Claire Cunningham said after the final race.
“Bringing together a crew of experienced and not so experienced Tasmanian yachtswomen was quite a challenge, but we all gelled with great crew work around the course.
“Special mention must go to our helm Colleen who steered the whole day in socks and thongs after not being able to wear her sea boots!”
In Portugal, Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania director and DSS member Michael Cooper skippered Export Roo to a close third overall in the Portuguese national championships for the SB20 sports boat class.
In a significant lead-up to the 2016 world championships, also at Cascais in August, Cooper missed second place overall on a countback to a leading British crew, with the winning crew from France.
Going into the last of nine races, Export Roo had been sharing first place overall with the French crew, but did not finish the final race... This became the Tasmanian boat’s discard, but also dropping it to third in final standings.
Export Roo’s scorecard read 8-4-4-5-3-8-2-3-DNF. Apart from the final race the Tasmanians were the only crew to finish in the top ten in every other race.
“We are very happy with our third,” skipper Cooper said after the final race. “The first two days were sailed on the inshore course and we got some great rides, although two boats broke their masts.
“We sailed well throughout and gave ourselves a chance to win on the last day…sailed offshore in 15-20 knots building to 25 knots.
“After two fantastic races (2nd and 3rd), the race committee took the final race back inshore as the wind had built. After two failed start attempts at a start, the black flag came out and the fleet settled to get the final race underway.
“The Roo attacked the French team, but just didn’t quite execute a tack and the French just snuck through – with no way back for the Roo. “A great lesson from the world champions!” Cooper added.
The Portuguese championships attracted a fleet of 39 boats from a wide range of European nations.
The Club Naval de Cascais, which will host the 2016 world championship for the SB20 class, conducted the regatta. In addition to Export Roo, the Tasmanian fleet will be represented at the worlds by Phil Reid’s Mind Games.
Peter Campbell
13 June 2016
Colleen Darcey and her all-women crew from Hobart is second overall in two handicap divisions after two days of highly competitive racing in the prestigious Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta on Melbourne’s Port Phillip.
Darcey, a past winning skipper of the AWKR, heads a combined Hobart clubs challenge against 25 other all-women crews, in total 177 women, from seven states and territories.
The Hobart women, sailing a borrowed Melbourne boat, Absolut, an Archambault 35, were in their element as a strong south-westerly front swept up the bay on Saturday afternoon , winning all three handicap divisions, AMS, IRC and EHC, on corrected time as well as taking line honours.
Today, in light winds, Absolut placed second and third under both AMS and IRC ratings, beaten around the course by local sailor Stephanie Strong and her crew sailing More Noise, an Archambault 31.
After four races, More Noise heads the AMS division with a score of 1-2-1-1, 5 points with Absolut on 9 points from placings of 3-1-2-3.
Under IRC scoring, the overall scores are the same for both yachts, with More Noise scoring two wins and Absolut another second and third, the scores being same, 9 points to 5 points.
The Tassie crew packing the windward rail of Absolute.
“The breeze ran out of puff today but the Tassie girls, in sub-optimum conditions for their Archambault 35, Absolut, sailed magnificently,” a team supporter reported.
“They're having a real tussle with More Noise - the Archambault 31 skippered by Stephanie Strong and How Bizarre - the Reichel Pugh 36 skippered by Nicole Butcher.
“Hoping it blows dogs off chains tomorrow. A little bit more forecast out of the North in the morning. Common’ Tassie!”
Peter Campbell
12 June 2016
Colleen Darcy and her all-women crew from Hobart have made a brilliant start to the 2016 Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta on a boisterous Port Phillip, winning all three handicap divisions of race two after a conservative start in race one.
Sailing the Archambault 35 Absolut, the Hobart women showed their heavy weather sailing skills as a predicted 35 knot front came through, with race officers cancelling a planned third race.
Two divisions, multiple classes and seven represented states comprised the overall pool of 177 competitors, some of whom have never sailed keelboats before. The rough conditions saw some damage and a couple of WOB situations, but no serious problems to the 26 boats.
Race one started in a solid 15 knots from the north-west. Some boats tried to brave the increasing winds by keeping up full mains, but those who reefed benefited significantly.
Absolut finished second in fleet and on corrected time placed third under AMS scoring, fifth under IRC and fifth under EHC handicapping.
Race two saw the south westerly shift settle in direction but increase in pressure, livening the course and bringing short, sharp chop with it.
On Absolut, Derwent Sailing Squadron member Colleen Darcey took a conservative approach to the whole race, emphasising the need to reduce the chance of error through unnecessary manoeuvres.
These tactics by the Tasmanian crew, which represents the Derwent Sailing Squadron, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and Bellerive Yacht Club, saw Absolut lead the fleet round the course and win IRC, AMS and EHC on correct time.
Darcey explained: “We really pushed ourselves today; it was challenging but great fun out there. We were down one crew, which didn’t help, but it just made us work a little harder.
The Tassie crew packing the windward rail of Absolute today.
“Being from Tassie we’re used to the heavy weather but had to adjust our sailing to the slop and chop Melbourne’s Port Philip brings.
“We realised we needed to console our urges to play every shift and stick to conservative sailing. We’re certainly looking forward to adding more tactics and strategy to our game plan tomorrow.”
The Tasmanian crew comprises Colleen Darcey, skipper (DSS), Clair Cunningham,tactician/mainsheet (RYCT), Lauren Davis0n, foredeck (BYC), Tammara Potter, pit (DSS), Danielle McKay (DSS), Janene Frawley, trimmer (RYCT), Clare Cromarty, mast (Kingston Sailing Club), Diane Reale, cabin top (DSS).
Peter Campbell
11 June 2016
In a lead-up to the 2016 world championship for the SB20 class, prominent Hobart fleet skipper Michael Cooper this weekend is contesting the Portuguese nationals for the high performance sports boats.
Cooper will helm his European-based, grey-hulled SB20, Export Roo, with his regular crew of David Chapman and UK sailor Jerry Mitchell standing in for RYCT Commodore Matthew Johnston, the other regular crew.
The Portuguese nationals will start this coming Thursday, 9 June and continuing through to Monday, 12 June, sailing on the same course area for the worlds, on the Atlantic off the historic seaside town of Cascais, 30km from Lisbon.
Export Roo is one of at least two Tasmanian boats planning to contest the SB20 Worlds, the other being Phil Reid’s Mind Games, with Andre Declarck and Sam Ibbott as crew. They are not contesting the Portugues nationals.
With the 2016 SB20 worlds scheduled from 27 August to 3 September at the 75 year old Clube Naval de Cascais, the Portuguese national championship is expected to attract a strong international fleet.
At the 2015 SB20 worlds on Italy’s Lake Garda, Cooper, Matthews and Chapman sailed Export Roo to a close 10th overall in the 98 boat fleet, including winning one of the 13 races and placing third in two others. Mind Games also contested the gold fleet at the 2015 worlds.
Back in Australia, sailing the Hobart-based Export Roo, Cooper and his crew finished a close third in the 2016 Australian championships on Port Phillip, won again by Glenn Bourke who had finished third in the worlds at Lake Garda.
Apart from using the Portuguese nationals as an important lead-up to the worlds at Cascais, the presence of the Tasmanian crew will draw attention to the 2018 world championship for the SB20s, to be hosted on the River Derwent by the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and the Derwent Sailing Squadron.
On the local scene, the SB20 class is booming, with the Derwent fleet expected to reach 40 boats next season. At least 100 SB20s are expected to contest the worlds in 2018.
Michael Cooper left Hobart for Portugal on a high note: winning race one of the SB20 division of the Derwent Sailing Squadron’s Winter Series. Top skipper on the day was Phil Reid in Mind Games with a first and a second.
Peter Campbell
6 June 2016
A crew of eight prominent Hobart women sailors are among 177 competitors from seven states and territories, sailing 26 yachts, who will contest the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta on Melbourne’s Port Phillip this coming long weekend.
Although the only team from ‘across the water’ (New Zealand was a late withdrawal), Colleen Darcy and her crew are confident they can repeat their victory of 2012 in this all-women regatta.
The six-race regatta, based at the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, starts on Saturday with a forecast day of fresh weather sailing in 18 knots of breeze, with conditions lightening over the long weekend.
The 26th annual AWKR has attracted 17 Victorian crews, two each from Queensland and New South Wales and one each from Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory, mostly sailing on boats loaned by Victorian yacht owners.
The Tasmanian team is a combined Hobart clubs entry, the Derwent Sailing Squadron, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and Bellerive Yacht Club, with a crew comprising Colleen Darcy, skipper (DSS), Claire Cunningham, tactician/mainsheet (Rear Commodore, RYCT), Lauren Davison, foredeck (BYC), Tammara Potter, pit (DSS), Danielle McKay, trimmer (DSS), Janene Frawley, trimmer (RYCT), Clare Cromarty, mast (Kingston Sailing Club) and Deana Reale, cabin top (DSS).
The fleet ranges from a J24 to a Beneteau 44.7, with race results decided on handicap. The Tasmanian women will sail Absolut, an Archambault 35 owned by Richard Gates from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria.
“This yacht is one of the most successful yachts currently racing under IRC ratings on Port Phillip,” skipper Colleen Darcy said yesterday. “It is the same design as Archie previously owned in Hobart by Sally Rattle.”
Colleen won the AWKR in 2012 where Lauren Davidson was one of her crew of seven. “We took out the regatta that year, winning IRC, AMS and PHS divisions, sailing a smaller Archambault 31, then called Penfold Audi Sports and owned by David Ellis.
“This is my fourth time competing in the regatta with a Tasmanian crew. The first two years Lauren Davison, Danielle McKay and I sailed with Diane Barkas as skipper.
“Diane’s husband, Roy, has been a great supporter for women’s sailing over the years,” Colleen added.
All the women in the Tasmanian crew are well experienced sailors, locally and in interstate competition and offshore.
Colleen was the first woman to skipper an SB20 sportsboat on the Derwent, Claire Cunningham, who is the Rear Commodore of the RYCT, is an experienced offshore racing crew person, Danielle McKay and Lauren Davison are highly regarded keelboat crew person, Janene Frawley is co-owner of the Mumm 36, Madness, while Clare Cromarty is an active high performance dinghy sailor. Diane Reale races an SB20 and Tammarra Potter is an active keelboat sailor.l
The women have been training on the Mumm 36 Madness, owned by Janene Frawley and Gavin Adamson. “We raced in the first RYCT winter series two weeks ago and finished second over the line and first on handicap,” Colleen added.
Last Sunday, Colleen was back on the helm of an SB20, Big Ted, winning the opening race of the DSS winter series.
Peter Campbell
8 June 2015
