Please select your home edition
Edition
C-Tech 2020 Tubes 728x90 TOP

Strong winds in Brighton welcome competitors to the Sharpie Nationals

by Harry Fisher on 29 Dec 2012
Gusts of up to 32 knots off the coast of the Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club yesterday welcomed 66 Sharpies to the 70th National Championships in their invitational races.

Two invitation races were scheduled to be sailed on Friday the 28th in the blustery conditions however due to many retirements and a few breakages, Principal Race Officer and Club Commodore Tony Gold deemed it necessary to call it quits after the conclusion of Race 1.

The first race provided plenty of excitement with just under 70 six-metre weapons flying around the start line. Clear air and speed from the beginning was going to be crucial.

As conditions strengthened, the top sailors in the fleet shone through and flourished in the powerful Gulf St. Vincent sea breeze.

Sharpie veteran Geoff McCloud sailing one of the newest additions to the fleet 'Warpig' with Sam Flint and Mark Beaumont won the race in brilliant fashion, with Geoff proving to the rest of the country that he is going to be a force to be reckoned with for championship honours after only ever coming third as his best result on two occasions.

Second to cross the line was local favourite Mal Higgins sailing the newest boat in the fleet 'Focus' with Sam Sanderson and Andrew Chisholm. Mal sailed a very consistent race and ended up with a quality result showing the fleet that he can do it all in any conditions.

Third place went to Tasmanian Drew Latham in 'One Hump or Two' with Nick Carter and Nick 'Camel' Johnstone. These guys are former Australian Sharpie national champions and sailed a brilliant race in the first of the series. They look like they could be a serious contender for the national title come January 5th when it all wraps up.

With so many experienced and talented yachtsmen and yachtswomen in the fleet, this should shape up to be a fiercely contested series and a cracker of a finish, and more results will be posted as the regatta rolls on.

Check out the Sharpie Nationals Website.

www.sharpienats2013.com
Barton Marine Pipe GlandsRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERArmstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - BOTTOM

Related Articles

WASZP Games 2025: Talent & fun descend on Weymouth
Poised to be the largest and most competitive in the class's history The 2025 International WASZP Games, set to take place from July 19–25 at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, are poised to be the largest and most competitive in the class's history.
Posted today at 7:23 am
All smiles among first finishers of the AEGEAN 600
The fastest teams crossed the finish line today at Cape Sounion As the fastest teams crossed the finish line today at Cape Sounion and made their way to the harbour at Olympic Marine, there were exhausted smiles all around.
Posted on 10 Jul
British Classic Week day 4
It was a classic Solent day in Cowes for the OneSails inshore race It was a classic Solent day in Cowes for day 4 of British Classic Week with hot temperatures, sunshine and no breeze in the morning before the sea breeze kicked in from the west and it was time to go racing.
Posted on 10 Jul
ORC DH Europeans Short Offshore Race
Strong competition and tough conditions The Long Offshore Race, the most demanding stage of the 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship, is well under way in the Gulf of Finland.
Posted on 10 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 5
Finalists locked in for new Medal Series format With the sea breeze stubbornly refusing to make an appearance, Day 5 of the iQFOiL World Championship turned into a long waiting game both ashore and on the water.
Posted on 10 Jul
Jazz Turner Video Interview
How she Faced Everything And Rose during Project FEAR I travelled to Brighton Marina to catch up with Jazz, talking about her own sailing, the challenges she faced during the circumnavigation, how the money raised will be used, and a glimpse of her future projects!
Posted on 10 Jul
America's Cup: Luna Rossa to sail for Naples club.
Italian Challenger Luna Rossa will contest the next America's Cup as the team of a Naples club. Italian Challenger Luna Rossa will contest its seventh America's Cup as the team of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia of Naples, as club that is new to the America's Cup.
Posted on 10 Jul
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 3
Big breeze in the morning, calm in the afternoon The third day of racing at the 2025 Moth World Championship kicked off early, with the first warning signal for the Blue fleet scheduled for 8:30 AM. Due to strong northerly winds, however, the fleet's departure was postponed to 9:00.
Posted on 10 Jul
Introducing the Micro Gateway from Cyclops Marine
Live load data, simplified - smaller, smarter, even more connected At Cyclops Marine, we're driven by the pursuit of precision, performance, and progress. As the marine industry continues to embrace digital transformation, our technology is evolving rapidly.
Posted on 10 Jul
Everything to know about The Ocean Race Europe
One month to go to the race start in Kiel One month out from the start of the 2025 edition of The Ocean Race Europe seven mixed-gender crews made up of sailors from across 13 nations are in the throes of their final preparations for the Race start in Kiel, Germany.
Posted on 10 Jul