Sail Port Stephens 2013 Day 3 - Commodores Cup - Big D's secret ritual
by Sail Port Stephens Media on 17 Apr 2013
PRO Denis Thompson Sail Port Stephens Event Media
After a superb day’s sailing yesterday, it seems today's racing at Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup will provide challenges for both race officials and sailors alike, with some light weather expected. But regatta organizers will be doing their best to deliver good racing.
On Monday, soft conditions in the morning delayed the start of racing, but a nice north easterly seabreeze came in just after 2pm and delivered excellent sailing conditions for the big cruising fleet.
Yesterday, the weather gods were on our side and there was an excellent race. Today however, the earlier risers might have witnessed the Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson pouring some Rum in the water, off the rock wall at d'Albora marina (just near the regatta start line) to appease those same weather gods.
Thompson is Australia's best known regatta race officer, he officiates at Hamilton Island Race Week, Airlie Beach Race Week, Magnetic Island, Sail Paradise and Geelong Race Weeks and the early morning ritual is always the same, if the day's forecast is a little iffy.
But seriously, this morning the fleet is again scheduled for an 11am start. Possibly we might see the Pub to Pub race, now in its sixth year, is planned as a day of racing inside Port Stephens whilst the Junior Regatta will be sailed in Salamander Bay. Already there is more wind than forecast, so Big D´s ritual sacrifice may yet have yielded the hoped for response.
Tomorrow is the Lay Day, so you will see the sailors and their families around the Bay - with lots of long lunches expected.
On Friday, the action will really heat up with the Elliott 7 Australian Championship, the NSW IRC titles and Performance Racing and Cruising fleets on the water.
For more news and results go to
Sail Port Stephens website.
.
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/108496