Cronulla Sailing Club j24 Short Course Regatta - Run and won!!

by Michael Reynolds on 11 Jun 2014 Over the weekend of the 6-9 June the Cronulla Sailing Club in Sydney Australia conducted a j24 short course regatta. Racing was focused on a windward leeward style event with legs at no more than 750 meters to ensure close racing between all. This event is planned as an annual event and planning is already underway for next year over the Queens Birthday Long Weekend 2015.

The Friday saw horizontal rain and weather that we all love in Sydney for this time of year. Boats had already began to gather with Starpac from the Pacific Sailing School being delivered the Tuesday prior and Riff Raff being sailed from Aussea Sailing School on Botany Bay on the Thursday. Sailpac, also from the Pacific Sailing School arrived by trailer. Rigging commenced with the boat in the water by the 1600 deadline.

The most spectacular arrival would have to have been Steve O’Rouke who towed his j24, Endless Summer from Botany Bay on the Saturday morning. In 2 to 3mtr Seas! I didn’t know a j could to 15kts, but anything’s possible behind a super powered twin engine Rhib!

It was interesting to see amongst the crews that when it comes to Class racing how many past and present sailing identities, seem to be drawn to an event such as this. The racing therefore was to be first class!

Racing commenced at 1200 on the Saturday with a planned four races in the Port Hacking Estuary. Race starter Dave McLachlan along with Dennis McLaren, started the large fleet of 14 in a good solid 15 to 20 knt SSW Breeze. Racing in the Port Hacking Estuary to a Windward mark set off the beautiful shores of the Royal National Park.

Great sailing by young Skipper Mat Short and the crew on Short Faced, including Mats Mum, saw them take four of the five races conducted to see Short Faced in the lead on completion of day one.

Due to prior sailing commitments along with his sail maker father Ian, Mathew Short was unable to race on the second day.

On Sunday the three scheduled races got underway in a solid 20 to 25 Knt SSW gusting to 30knt. Starpac won the first race of the second day in strengthening conditions. Which also saw local boats, Mckay Marine, Pinot, Slippery Fish and CJ Constructions, OCS, leaving the gate open for The Girls on Cooee Too to come storming through in fourth.

Sailpac won the final two races of the regatta. Which then saw the real race, back to the Clubhouse and Bar begin.
Dave McKay, once again proved he's just not a short man with a pretty face, to take out the Regatta once the drop was finally enacted.

The final result are as follows:

Place	Hull Number	Boat	Helm	Score
1	AUS-1317	McKay Marine	D McKay	16
2	AUS-5247	Starpac	L Darby	21
3	AUS-5085	Sailpac	T Briggs	22
4	AUS-1309	Only A Journey	M Sellers	34
5	AUS-1645	Short Faced	M Short	41
6	AUS-4439	Wave Cutter II	G Thorburn	44
7	AUS-1646	Slippery Fish	B Edwards	48.5
8	AUS-1635	CJ Constructions	C Hood	52
9	AUS-4791	Endless Summer	S O’rouke	56
10	AUS-4430	Pinot	B Ryan	60
11	AUS-2633	Cooee Too	C Brighton	61
12	AUS-930	Riff Raff	M Van Dinther	75
13	AUS-1643	Flick Pass	M Kirby	84
14	AUS-1113	Onyx II	A Ulanov	105

The Race Committee would like to thank all competitors for making the weekend such a success, supporting an event based on participation and racing j24’s. Also the sportsmanship shown when penalties and boats may have touched, with Penalty turns enacted as to no protests being lodged. The Cronulla Sailing Club is committed to relighting the passion in the owners and crews, to engage and support the upcoming J24 NSW Association Racing Program.