Joanna (‘Jo’) Breen has led her team aboard Chutzpah38 to a fighting third overall in the premier AMS division of the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta on Melbourne’s Port Phillip.
Despite leading the Division 1 fleet around the course in most of the six races, Chutzpah38 and her crew from the DSS, RYCT and BYC could not sail above their rating, notching up a consistent corrected time scorecard of 3-(4)-2-2-2.5-2 for a net 11.5 points.
Going into race six, Jungle Juice and Chutzpah38 had been equal second on countback points, but the lower rating Adams 10 won on corrected time to clinch second overall for Claire Heenan from Gosford Sailing Club.
The professional crew of Katie Spithill from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club won the regatta in the M.A.T. 10, Ocean Respect Racing, winning five straight races.
The regatta ended in a day of drama with winds reaching 25-30 knots, gusting to 35 knots. Ocean Respect Racing, by then with five straight AMS wins, did not even get to the starting line, following a crunching collision with another boat, but was later given average points (1) at a redress hearing.
The Tasmanian team showed excellent sailing skills and tactics throughout the regatta, notably in the final race, but the lower rating Jungle Juice won the race with Chutzpah38 second on corrected time.
In the AMS scoring, Ocean Respect Racing (NSW) finished with a net 5 point, Jungle Juice 10.5 (NSW) and Chutzpah38 (Tas) 11.5 points.
In IRC, Jungle Juice (NSW) won with a net 6.5 points from Ocean Respect Racing (NSW) on 7.2, Serious Yahoo (Vic) and Chutzpah38 (Tas) both on 15 points. West Australian team Sunshine (Sandy Anderson) won EHC with 19 points from Ocean Respect Racing (NSW) on 20.8 and Rage (T Richardson, NSW) 22.5 and Chutzpah38 (Tas) on 24 points.
In the S80 one-design division, Bellerive Yacht Club’s entry Assailant skippered by Judy Marshall and her ‘Bellerive Bandits’ handled the heavy weather sailing with great skill to win the final race. Assailant finished seventh overall in the S80s.
Words by Peter Campbell & Photo by Bruno Cocozza
12 June 2019
