Tasmanian female sailor Colleen Darcey has had a big week: crewing on Division 3 leading yacht Young Lion in last Sunday’s Combined Club Winter Series and, on Monday taking up a new professional role as sailing manager at the Derwent Sailing Squadron (DSS).
She won’t be sailing Sunday; in her new role she will overseeing racing on the River Derwent as the Derwent Sailing Squadron hosts race five of the Combined Clubs Winter Series.
In her successful sailing career she has skippered two Tasmanian crews to victory in the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta on Melbourne’s Port Phillip as well as winning the women’s division of the SB20 Pre-Worlds regatta in 2018.
She is one of several regular helms on Young Lion, a Young 88 owned and skippered by Derwent Sailing Squadron Past Commodore Steve Chau which now heads the Division 3 leader-board after last Sunday’s race.
The Young 88 has placed 4-4-5-3 with two more Sunday morning races to complete the highly competitive Combined Clubs Winter Series.
Young Lion has a talented crew in DSS Past Commodore Steve Chau, current Commodore Scott Brain, Colleen Darcey, Clare Brown, Toby Burnell, Tammara Potter and Anthony Woolley.
The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania’s new sailing manager Brian Hall also started work this week, taking over from long-serving Nick Hutton who will, however, continue an active role as race management volunteer.
Going into Sunday’s race five of the Combined Clubs Winter Series the Division leaders are John Dryden’s Jazz Player (Division 1), Ian Johnston’s Zephyr (Division 2), Steve Chau’s Young Lion (Division 3) and Michael Kennedy’s Another Toy (Division 4).
Words: Peter Campbell
Photo: Colleen Darcey
