Hobart Combined Clubs TasPorts Women's Keelboat Regatta
by Nick Hutton 9 Mar 19:37 PST
5 March 2022
Skipper Felicity Allison and her crew of Jill Abel, Jacinta Cooper and Emma Hooper winning the TasPorts Women's Keelboat Regatta © Peter Watson
Skipper Felicity Allison and crew Jill Abel, Jacinta Cooper and Emma Hooper representing the Derwent Sailing Squadron took out the annual TasPorts Women's Keelboat Regatta in March 2022.
With a series of eight qualifying races sailed in a mix of conditions from seven to 12 knots, the ten crews representing clubs from all around the state were ranked on their overall performances.
Defending champion skipper Kirsty Salter had a perfect record of four wins from four starts in her side of the draw in the qualifying series. Allison had three wins and a second in her side of the draw.
The winner-take-all final, featuring the top three crews from each side of the draw, was sailed in a steady 12-knot south-easterly breeze blowing over the 400-metre course.
Eventual second placegetter Matilda O'Donoghue from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania was judged over the line at the start and was forced to restart however classy sailing and good tactics saw her crew recover and be back in the mix by the end of the first of two laps.
A rare mistake by Salter soon after the start saw the defending champion drop to the back of the six-boat fleet with no time to recover before the end of the race, eventually finishing fourth.
Lisa Guy representing DSS seized on the opportunity presented by Salter and held her off for a well-deserved third place.
The regatta was organised by the Hobart Combined Clubs: Bellerive Yacht Club, the Derwent Sailing Squadron and the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.
Australian Olympian Tess Lloyd was the guest speaker at the presentation dinner on Saturday evening at the RYCT, supported by Australian Sailing's SheSails initiative.