Husband and wife teams winners in DSS Autumn Two-Handed Series

by Peter Campbell on 13 Apr 2014 Derwent Sailing Squadron’s Quantum Autumn Two-Handed Series 2014 - Husband and wife teams winners in DSS Autumn Two-Handed Series

Officially, it’s called the Derwent Sailing Squadron’s Quantum Autumn Two-Handed Series. Among yachties, the series is called ‘Gilbert’s Two-Handed Worlds’, honouring DSS Life Member Gilbert Leitch who conceived the unique event.

Appropriately, he was Officer of the Day for send the record-breaking fleet off on its courses on the River Derwent today.

Today’s opening race on the River Derwent drew 58 starters from 65 entries, with each boat, ranging from small sports boats to offshore racers, sailed by a crew of just two. Three divisions sailed with spinnakers, two as non-spinnaker divisions.

Two husband-and-wife crews were among the winners on the opening day of the DSS Autumn Two-Handed Series which, apart from being a record fleet for the event, was the largest fleet for a single race seen on the Derwent in years.

A northerly breeze start gave the fleet 12-14 knots at the start, easing away to 8-10 knots later in the morning provided ideal conditions for short-handed sailing.

The two husband-wife winners teams were David and Alison Creese, sailing Obsession to a line and handicap win in Division 2 (non-spinnaker), and Garry and Melina Kennedy winning line and handicap honours in Division 3 (non-spinnaker) with Pierette.

In Division 2, Obsession won from Pirate’s Pride (Peter Masterton and crew), third place going to Moonshine, helmed by Bruce Palmer. Pierette won Division 3 from Whistler J, steered by David Rees, third place going to Magnum (Colin Grey).

Colleen Darcey steered Sudden Impulse to victory in Division 5 spinnaker division for the SB20 one-design sports boat class, with Doug Watkins as her crew. The Syndicate-owned 3 Blind Mice placed second, with Brainwave (Scott Brain) third after taking line honours.

Husband and wife team Michael and Michelle Denney sailed Wild West to line honours in the spinnaker Division 1 but were unplaced on handicap, with Saga (Chris Sheehan and Troy Grafton) winning on corrected time from Trouble (Dave Willans) and Fred Barrett’s sports boat Fang to the Max.

'We are still on speaking terms after the race,' quipped Denney, 'but I’ll have speak to handicapper.' (Denney is sailing secretary at the Derwent Sailing Squadron).

In the other spinnaker division 4, Peter Bingham and his crew sailed the J24 Street Car to a line and handicap win from Which Way Up (Ian Stewart) and Squiggle (Angus Wells).

After a break over the Easter Weekend, the DSS Autumn Two-Handed Series will continue over the following four Sundays.