ABSA Nationals- Zippier completes hat-trick to take title

by Darren Spence on 12 Jan 2015 The Australian Sports Boat Association 2015 National Titles were wrapped up at the CYCA on Sydney Harbour yesterday with local boat Zippier (Andrew Waugh) winning the last three races of the series to secure their second ASBA National Title in three years and winners of the coveted Gill Winners Jacket.

Zippier is the only boat to have won the ASBA National crown twice in the eight year history of the Association. It was even more special for the crew who were competing at their home club with plenty of local support.

Years of dedication and development have made this success possible with Zippier also taking out Division 2, a division for higher displacement to sail area boats.

Andrew was full of praise for his crew and the hands-on development with his sailmaker, Bruce Hollis from Ullman Sails Sydney.

The battle for second to seventh continued right down to the tenth and final race of the series and was won by pre-series favorite, The Stig’s Audi Driving Cousin (David Ellis) from RYCV in Williamstown.

'The Stig' also took out the win in Division 1. David also secured the 'special' regatta award, 'Personality' of the Regatta, and will now be able to add his personal touch to the trophy which has been doing the rounds of ASBA regattas now for five year.

Third overall and second in Division 1 was Old School Racing (Mark Girffith) who edged out the Bandit/Accur (Warwick Rooklyn & Kevin Nixon) Melges 24 team with strong results in the last two races. Bandit secured second in Division 2 and where the kings of windiest days.

There were six J/70’s entered for the event and Ray Entwistle’s Jedi, proved to be the fastest and most consistent taking fifth overall and third in Division 2. Jedi was also the winner of the inaugural Female Sailor Division Perpetual Trophy presented to the boat with at least one female crew member.

The J/70’s were the biggest One Design fleet racing within the ASBA fleet and it’s great to see them developing as a class in Australia and getting more people into Sports Boat racing.

Three crews where competing in there very first Sports Boat event and despite their inexperience are thoroughly enjoying themselves having a race within a race.

Comments from crews and owners, such as:

'The racing has been fantastic, best fun we have had in years, so close and the boats are evenly matched, great to be amongst the other sports boats too, well set and managed courses, it’s great to support the growth of ASBA'

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia did an outstanding job managing the regatta and there will hopefully be more Sports Boat events on the Harbour in the future.

Massive congratulations to the crews that traveled to the event from around the country and especially the two crews from Perth. Both Octopussy (Rees Howell) and The Ducks Nuts (Mitch De Vries had travelled from Perth to finish sixth and seventh overall respectively.

Disappointing that Mitch couldn’t collect the 'Personality' of the regatta three years running - must be getting old?

ASBA receives outstanding support from it’s partners - Gill Australia, 3 Oceans Winery, Hogs Breath Cafe and Yacht Racing Services (managers of the SMS & AMS rating systems).

All the event information can be found in the Regatta Pages of the ASBA web site - www.asba.org.au or on the ASBA Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/sportsboatsaus

Final results: http://www.asba.org.au/2015-national-titles-results/

Event photos can be found and purchased from http://www.sportsailingphotography.com/Sailing/ASBA-Sport-Boat-National/