Impressive results at Airlie Beach Race Week 2015

by Bronwen Hemmings on 15 Aug 2015 Tony Horkings Northshore 38, Lee-Way competed against the best in IRC Passage to today finish Airlie Beach Race week in first place. SYC Member Graham Sherring on Stay Tuned also gained an impressive result finishing second with Noel Leigh-Smith on Viper third in the Sports Boats division.

Hosted by the Whitsunday Sailing Club, Airlie Beach Race Week was conducted on the tropical Queensland waters from Saturday eighth to Friday fourteenth August, 2015.

Alongside skipper and owner Tony Horkings, six young Southport Yacht Club members made up the impressive crew list including Miami ISAF World Cup 49er silver medallist Joel Turner on tactics, 2011 Harken Women’s International Match Racing Regatta winner Sophie Lahey on the helm, SYC Sailing Academy Principal Yassmina Hamie on mainsheet, Joe Sabin on foredeck, Raju Tanna on mast and Grant Seal.

“Although we had very gusty and shifty conditions on the water today, as the Pressure was on to take the win, all the team was 100% committed the whole way through to make every second count. With Sophie on helm and myself on main trim the boat kept great speeds the whole way through. Joel was in focus making all the tactical decisions, however could not have done it all without Joe's bow work” said Yassmina.

“Thank you to Tony and the rest of the crew for a great experience to help in building upon our youth keelboat sailing” Yassmina added.

“The racing standards performed by the young crew was absolutely fantastic, it was inspirational to see such a young crew work so hard in achieving such impressive results, I believe they all performed to their absolute maximum, and they now have the result to prove it” said Tony.

“I found the weather conditions were perfect for my boat, although we did struggle with the passage race on Thursday, finishing last for the day, however it was great to perform so well today and redeem ourselves back to first, I look forward to having this crew on board Lee-Way more often” Tony adds.

Southport Yacht Club are also happy to announce that SYC member Joel Turner, has been selected to crew on Team GAC Pindar in the Extreme sailing series in the St Petersburg event, Joel will be flying out to Russia tomorrow.

A massive congratulations to the Southport Yacht Club crew members on Lee-Way, Stay Tuned and Viper, we look forward to seeing you all back on the Gold Coast waters soon.