2020 Warren Jones International Youth Regatta at Royal Perth Yacht Club - Day 4
by Georgia Bivens 3 Feb 2020 21:11 AEDT
24 January - 1 February 2020
2020 Warren Jones International Youth Regatta - Day 4 © Drew Malcolm
Day four was off to a roaring start with over 50 women attending Women On Water - a fully non-profit leadership and networking morning.
Women On Water has been running for three years with the aim of introducing more women to the sport of sailind and providing opportunities to those to do so who may not have had these before.
The event promotes experiencing the sport in a friendly, non-threatening environment, alongside other like-minded women, to see the may benefits that sailing can offer; like mindfulness, leadership, communication, fitness etc.
Gina Pickering, whom has a successful professional career and is also a Board Member of Yachting Western Australia, started the morning with a brief address which included how sailing has assisted her in different parts of her life - including personal and professional. Guests were then split into teams, met their hosts for the morning and made their way onto the water to get a taste of the sport. After a brief onwater experience, guests returned ashore for networking and morning tea, again, kindly hosted by the Lucky Shag Bar.
The fourth racing session of the 2020 Warren Jones International Youth Regatta commenced from 12noon onwards, where the second round robin was to be completed. With only 7 flights to get through, the onwater team could settle into their seats as it was as good as confirmed that all races would be completed by the end of the day, with just the semis and finals to take place on the last day of racing.
The conditions were great for match racing with the Fremantle Doctor giving a helping hand in the afternoon. As the second round robin came to a close, Gala Luncheon Guest Speaker, Robert 'Dipper' DiPierdomenico, AFL Legend and Media Personality, took a spot on the commentary team and a hot seat on the back of Harry Price's yacht, giving him the perfect introduction to what the Warren Jones Regatta is all about!
By the end of the day, the top four finalists were decided with Harry Price and his DownUnder Racing Team from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (AUS) taking out the top position.
Following in second was Nick Egnot-Johnson and his KNOTS Racing Team from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL) and Tom Grimes and his Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Youth Sailing Academy Team (AUS) finishing up in third position.
The last spot for the finals wasn't a sure thing until the official list was provided by the Race Committee - on equal points was local Warren Jones veteran, Will Boulden and his Alpha Racing Team, representing host club, Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (AUS) and, fresh off his Colin Mullins Youth Regatta win, Aurelien Pierroz and his team representing Societe des Regates du Havre (FRA). In his second Warren Jones Regatta campaign, Pierroz was gaining experience on the Foundations and becoming more of a threat to take out the top award.
On a countback, local Will Boulden managed to scrape into the top four and sealed his spot in the finals for the 2020 Warren Jones Regatta. Ethan Prieto-Low, also representing host club, Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (AUS) and the youngest skipper, Jeffrey Petersen, representing Balboa Yacht Club (USA) at his first ever Warren Jones Regatta both finished just 1 point behind Boulden and Pierroz.
The competition in 2020 was fierce and the results showed it, with the teams hungry for the win, the boats bore the brunt of the competition with a number of teams finishing their campaigns with tallying bills... including one incident where the Royal Perth Yacht Club Start Boat, ORPYC, retired hurt with a nice, foundation 36 shaped hole in the middle, courtesy of the team from Great Britain!