47th Cherub Nationals Report

by Cameron Rule on 16 Jan 2010
Alison Chapman and Rhys Mara on Sparky have won the 47th Cherub Nationals held at Mounts Bay Sailing Club in Perth.

The win was a huge milestone for women sailors as Alison was only the second skipper after Nicky Bethwaite in the Cherub's rich history to win the championship. Travelling over from Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club in NSW the duo excelled in the tricky moderate conditions to convincingly win six back to back heats in a nine heat series.

Runner's up were skipper Steve and crew Blake Vance on Serenity Now from Perth Dinghy Sailing Club. The boys won 3 heats in their preferable heavy conditions early on in the series and at the end. They also showed off their remarkable tactical skills by often starting mid fleet to position themselves in the top 3. Steve and Blake are now hunting for a new 14 foot skiff to give their siblings some stiff competition.

In third and Veteran winners, skipper Cameron Rule and crew Todd Montgomery on Cunning Linguist from Mounts Bay Sailing Club proved consistency is everything in a large regatta by not finishing worse than 5th place in a heat. Almost winning a heat hotly contested with Sparky, the boys showed their experience in the heavy conditions and kept up enough in the moderate to light conditions despite being a fair bit heavier than other crews.

Handicap winners were Luke Coppens and Peter Kneale on Dumbfounded Dipshidt, Cadet winners and Best Presented boat went to Ashley Knighton and James Walters on Rope City. Junior winners were Brennan Stead and Rob Burvill on Fine Mess. Best Women's Crew was won by Telisha Crannage and Conor Keating on XO.

The regatta was hugely successful with Alison, a former Flying 11 National Champion, describing the 47th Cherub Nationals as the best regatta she has ever been to. Racing was characterised with fast and furious downwind battles, with many in the 30 strong fleet managing to flip their Cherubs and land in strange contortions.

A lot of the praise would attest to the fantastic social schedule including outdoor movie night, Rottnest Island trip, quiz night, massive presentation night and in typically Cherub fashion an awesome New Years eve party and a State of Origin drinking competition (NSW won).

The next Cherub nationals will be held shortly after Xmas at Largs Bay in South Australia. For more photos and videos of the regatta please visit www.cherub.org.au