CYCA Sailing Season 2009-2010 opens on a picture perfect Spring Day

by Jennifer Crooks on 21 Sep 2009 The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Sailing Season 2009-2010 has commenced with the traditional season opening race, the 14th Monica Geddes Memorial Trophy – Sydney Harbour Islands Race, conducted today in brilliant spring conditions.

The race also marked the start of the Grant Thornton Short Haul Pointscore Series, with a fleet of 52 yachts taking to the start line. Racing commenced on time at 12 noon in 8-10 knots of NE breeze. Tim Casey sailing his Nelson Marek 46 St Hilliers Quest was eager to get a good start to the season, but was called OCS by the race committee and forced to take a penalty turn.

Mark Bisset, Managing Director of Grant Thornton Sydney office said 'Grant Thornton is delighted to continue sponsoring the CYCA Short Haul and Short Ocean pointscore series for another year.

'This opening weekend of racing heralds the start of what should be another exciting season and I wish all competitors a very enjoyable and successful season,' concluded Bissett.

Today’s race included around 50 participants taking part in the inaugural 'Try Crewing Day', an initiative of the BIA and Yachting NSW to the encourage people not familiar with the sport to trail it. The initiative also gives boats owners the opportunity to find regular crew for the season.

Bob Basham, Chairman of the Sailing Industry Association, a division of the BIA, congratulated the CYCA for its participation and thanked the 20 owners for inviting Try Crewing participants on board for todays race. 'I would like to thank all three yacht clubs, the CYCA, MHYC and RPAYC for participating in the pilot Try Crewing Day event. We are extremely pleased with the attendance and level of interest shown in the sport of sailing. My thanks to all yacht owners and skippers who supported the event and I hope that you may have found some new crew members today!'

Terry Wise, Vice President of the Sailing Industry Association and managing director of Pacific Sailing School said 'This event was specifically targeted to adults to show them just how easy it is to get involved in the sport of sailing. Yacht owners are always in need of crew for different races and we hope to see some of today’s participants come back and join in the fun of twilight racing at the CYCA.'

For the spinnaker fleet, conditions got sloppy under the Harbour Bridge and around Goat Island with the breeze becoming fickle. Once competitors rounded Goat Island, advantages were made with bullets of breeze coming out of Berrys Bay which helped many yachts come home. For Dick Cawse’s Lyons/Cawse 60 Vanguard, the breeze coming out of Berrys Bay shredded their spinnaker, but did not affect their standing, as they finished first in the IRC Spinnaker Division.

For Paul Clitheroe’s Beneteau First 45 Balance, sailing in the non-spinnaker division was nice and relaxing. 'It’s been a wonderful day on the water today. We had four Try Crewing day participants on board and they all had a go at steering and trimming, with one given the opportunity to steer us across the finish line.'

'It got a bit shallow around Goat Island with not much clearance between the bottom of the keel and the sea bed, but we managed to get out of it unscathed. I am very happy with how the boat is performing and I look forward to next year’s Monica Geddes memorial trophy race,' concluded Clitheroe.

Winner of the Monica Geddes Memorial trophy and Short Haul PHS Division (Non Spinnaker) was Grant Pollock’s Northshore 380 l’Eau Co, from John Kirkjian’s Jarkan 38 Lady Ann second and Steve & Michelle Hatch’s Sydney 36CR M third.

A delighted Grant Pollock commented on the day's racing after accepting the Monica Geddes Memorial trophy. 'Today's conditions were perfect for our boat. We have new crew onboard and this is our first serious racing season.'

'We were lucky with the wind conditions as we had good air throughout the day. For our first race of the season, I am very happy with the crew's performance and hope that it continues throughout the remainder of the season,' concluded Pollock.

Trophies were presented by Louisa Geddes, the daughter of Monica Geddes. Monica was President of the Associates Committee in 1994 & 1995 and was a prominent volunteer of the CYCA.

David Champtaloup’s classic Caprice of Huon finished first in Short Haul IRC Division (non-spinnaker), with John Kirkjian’s Jarkan 38 Lady Ann second and Paul Clitheroe’s Beneteau First 45 Balance third.

Brian Carrick’s Beneteau 31.7 Velocity placed first in PHS Spinnaker Division, with Paul Williams’ modified Soling Whippet second and Phil Molony’s Archambault A 40 Papillon third.

Dick Cawse’s Lyons/Cawse 60 Vanguard finished first in IRC Spinnaker Division, with Adrian Abbott’s Farr 40 Kirribilli second and David Beak’s Beneteau 44.7 Mr Beaks Ribs third. A notable fourth was Matthew Short’s TP52 Shortwave, whose wife Christine was on spinnaker duty, after running a personal best time in the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival 9km Bridge Run.