2015 Australian Hansa Class National Championships - Day 1

by Shauna Phillips on 5 Apr 2015 The first day of racing has been completed at the 2015 Australian Hansa Class National Championships at Derwent Sailing Squadron.

Following rigging and a practice race on Friday, the regatta was officially opened on Friday night by the Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly - The Hon Elise Archer MP. Ms Archer, representing the Premier and Minister for Sport, welcomed competitors to Tasmania from around Australia and praised the Class Association for the open and inclusive nature of the regatta. Chris Symonds - Acting President of Sailability Tasmania - and Russell Phillips - President of the Australian Hansa Class Association - also welcomed the competitors, before race officer Gilbert Leitch gave the competitors a final briefing.

The first day of racing was started in light conditions, with competitors in the Hansa 303 singles and Liberty divisions first to take to the course. With 19 entrants, the 303 singles is the largest fleet in the regatta with several competitors later picking up a crew to also sail in the 303 doubles races.

Wynyard Yacht Club’s Chris Symonds showed why he is the reigning Australian Hansa 303 singles champion, by taking out all three of the today’s races to take a solid lead over fellow Wynyard sailor Michael Darby, with South Australia’s Kenneth Hibbert one point behind in third place.

Results were much closer in the Liberty fleet, with victories in the three races shared between three different competitors. Victoria’s Cadeyrn Gaskin won the first race from South Australia’s Bob Schahinger with Alyse Saxby from NSW in third. Schahinger then took the second race from fellow South Australian Jocelyn Neumueller and Victoria’s Krista Bailey then Bob Hamilton from NSW took out the last race of the day from Victorian pair Russell Phillips and Cadeyrn Gaskin. Bob Schahinger leads Gaskin by one point at the end of the first day’s racing.

Following a short break for lunch and crew changes, the Hansa 2.3 and 303 Doubles fleets took to the course. Launceston sailor Rob Eadie took out the first race of the day from the reigning Australian 2.3 Champion, Allister Peek from the ACT, who came back to win the remaining two races. Victoria’s Mark Thorpe sailed consistently across the day for second place in all three races, leaving Peek one point in front of Thorpe with Eadie a point further back in third place at the end of racing.

In the Hansa 303 Doubles division it was again Wynyard Yacht Club’s Chris Symonds leading the pack. Teaming up with Neal Rodwell, the pair took three bullets to put them four points clear of South Australian pair Paul Linden and Kenneth Hibbert with another SA team of Patricia Faulkner and David Smallacombe in third place.

More light winds are forecast for the second day of racing.