Benidgo Bank Blackwood River Challenge - Spills and thrills

by Jenny Honeybun on 6 Apr 2015 Augusta Yacht Club hosted the Bendigo Bank Blackwood Challenge, a popular annual series attracting sailors from Augusta, Dunsborough and Perth.

The big smoke team of GP14 sailors conquered the Dunsborough Bay Yacht Club GP14s in gusting conditions up to 20 knot winds. Unfortunately Perth sailors Linda Harris and Anna Spinks of Mounts Bay Sailing Club had gear breakage at the start of the first race knocking them into spectator seating. The reigning champions Bruce Quail and Steve Heywood in La Rousse were fairly well beaten by Louis Proksch and Steve Dickenson in Cocktail Cherry after gaining ascendancy in the spinnaker duels on the downwind legs. Dunsborough’s Blackadder crew Steve Flower and Dean Cowan got the laughs but, with club compatriots Morgan Flower and crew Finian Demou outperform the leaders from Perth.

Augusta club members held their regular Club handicap races at the same time, and three DBYC Splash dinghies also raced. The vagaries of the land and offshore breezes and gusty conditions provided exciting challenges for the two Hunt sisters, Rebecca and Kate, who had not experienced landlocked sailing conditions before, so there were plenty of thrills and spills – with experienced international Youth Laser sailor Caelin Winchcombe serenely sailing through it all on one of the Splash dinghies.

Saturday saw plenty of spill and thrills but, unfortunately, high winds and rough conditions on Sunday resulted in the cancellation of racing. The two wins for Cocktail Cherry on Saturday gave them the trophy and a Big Smoke win in the Teams’ event yet again.