2015 Kembla Klassic Regatta - Overall report

by Richard Hipsley on 5 Dec 2015 2015 Kembla Klassic Regatta - The Port Kembla Sailing Club (PKSC) hosted the 2015 Kembla Klassic Regatta on Lake Illawarra on the weekend of 28/29th November. The KK is a multi-class regatta held annually. For the last few years the Lightweight Sharpies have also used the regatta as a round of their State Championships. There were 48 competitors including 15 Sharpies, MG14’s, B14’s, VX One Designs, various cat classes including Maricats, Windrushes, Nacras, Taipans, F18’s and A Class, and junior divisions comprising MJ,s, F11’s and Flying Ants.

Conditions were light and variable on Saturday and after the Nor’easter finally arrived, were a little better on Sunday. The Sharpies enjoyed the last race on Sunday in a strengthening 15 knot breeze. The race format comprised a series of four races, two on each day, with triangle and windward/leeward courses run in parallel. Back to back races for large cats and skiffs were scheduled on the Saturday afternoon but could not be completed due to the wind fading to nothing. A separate smaller course was set for the junior divisions.

Competitors came from a variety of clubs including Canberra YC, YMCA SC, Illawarra YC, Cronulla SC, St. George SC, Balmoral SC, Wallerawang SC, Wagga Wagga SC and PKSC.

The Sharpies were won by local PKSC boat “Truck” sailed by Todd Curry, Hayden Sellers and Brad Curry. Second was “Smoke” from the YMCASC, and third “Zulu” also from the YMCASC.

The youngest crew in the Sharpies sailed a borrowed boat named “Dump” for this regatta. Sailed by 15 year olds Erin Curry, Emmet Walsh and Connor Weare, all from the PKSC, they were on a very steep learning curve but handled the boat extremely well. The smiles on their faces as they crossed the finish line said it all. A strong career in Sharpies beckons in the future for this crew!

Other winners in the regatta were Tony and Amie Zahra from PKSC in the Maricat “White Wave, Andrew York and crew from CYCA in the VX One “Speedwagon”, Allen Graham and James Reynolds from the CYC in B14 “Toxic”, Neil and Josh Tasker from Cronulla Sc in MG14 “Goat” and and Bob and Johnathon Porter from PKSC in Nacra 5.8 “Phantom Menace”. In the Junior Division the winners were cousins Riley and Braysen Curry sailing the MJ “Vincent Van Go”.

Special thanks to KK coordinator Trevor Dunn who did a mighty effort in organising the regatta this year and to all the members who gave up their sailing and helped over the weekend both on and off the water. The regatta is a key money raising event for the PKSC and the canteen provided excellent food all weekend including lunches both days, dinner on Saturday night and breakfast on Sunday.

Visiting competitors were very happy with how the event was hosted, and were amazed at how good the sailing was on Lake Illawarra, and how great were the facilities and hospitality of PKSC!.