Brutal SSORC Day One
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Big seas and strong winds offshore for the Premier Divisions contesting Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s annual Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship put the stress test on crews over the 24 nautical mile course, described as “brutal” by the division 1 winning tactician.
Michael Fountain from Gerry Hatton’s Mat 1245 Division 1 IRC, ORC and PHS corrected time winner, Bushranger, said: “brutal is the only way to describe it….very tough conditions with constant 27 knot southerlies gusting to 33 and seas 4 metres.”
Video highlights thanks to @Tillymcknightmedia
John McConaghy and Steve Coates helmed the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club boat, Coates hitting a record downwind boat speed of 20.2 knots with a poled-out number 4 headsail. Fountain added: “We got a good start at the right end of the line, and we were up there getting out of the harbour into clear air and weather the boat likes. It’s handy going into day two on top and in fact, we are better suited to windward/leewards.”
Second on IRC was Bob Cox’s DK46 Nine Dragons (MHYC) and third and the line honours victor, Seb Bohm’s JV TP52 Smuggler (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia) made the most of the heavy weather outing a month out from the Rolex Sydney Hobart start.
In Division 2, Paul Jenkins MHYC-based Sydney 38 Mille Sabords captured the treble of top boat under the three handicap systems and Neil Padden’s Beneteau 40.7 Wailea had to be satisfied with second.
Conditions heading south to the waverider buoy off Kurnell proved too much for some – six withdrawals were recorded from a starting SSORC fleet of 16, due to low-level gear and sail damage.
Super 40 Spring Regatta entrants completed the Seven Islands Race, Indy Beck’s MC38 InfoTrack gaining a 32 second edge over Darryl Hodgkinson’s Victoire on corrected time as those crews enjoyed calm waters laced with rolling showers and wildly shifting cool breeze west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Super 40 results.
The fleet in the annual Seven Islands Trophy Race also headed up the Parramatta River to try their luck, pursuit handicap wins going to Rob Reynolds’ Exile, Tracey Richardson’s and Brendan Smid’s Artemis and Frank Milner’s Pinta Bay in the Jeanneau Cup division. Seven Islands Race results.
SSORC Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson said there was some rejigging of the weekend series program, given the strong wind warning issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, however all fleets completed their full course on Saturday. The tough conditions are associated with a high south of the continent pushing a southerly flow up the New South Wales coast.
Winds are expected to moderate on Sunday November 28, 15-20 knots for the second and final day of the 44th edition of SSORC when the Super 40s take on two short passage races and the Premier fleet switches to short course racing either on the Manly or Macquarie Circles outside Sydney Heads.
The SSORC is held in conjunction with a Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Ocean Pointscore race.
MHYC is grateful for the support of CYCA race management and thanks key SSORC sponsors Club Marine, Sail Racing, Robert Oatley Wines and Short Marine for their generosity.
How to follow the SSORC:
Website www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au
Facebook: @MiddleHarbourYachtClub
Instagram: @middleharbouryachtclub
Seven Islands Race and Jeanneau Cup
MHYC’s Seven Islands Race, Race 1 of the Jeanneau Cup Series, was started in a strong southerly today with occasional rain. Breezes became generally lighter once the fleet pushed west of the Harbour Bridge, but with some serious gusts and some shipping traffic to avoid. Congratulations to Rob Reynolds’ Exile in Division 1, Tracey Richardson’s and Brendan Smid’s Artemis in Div 2 and to Frank Milner’s Pinta Bay in the Jeanneau Cup division.
This week has been the first use of the newly renovated SandBar Deck and today saw the christening of the Club's race management boat "Jack Stening" - lots to celebrate.
To view the results - click here
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Fresh Sailing for Centreboard Racing
Session two of the MHYC Centreboard Club Championship continued today, with a gusty fresh to strong westerly providing some seriously challenging conditions. Racing was abandoned after the first race was completed as the base wind increased over 25 knots with gusts more than 30.
Will Wilkinson was first Optimist across the line ahead of Miles Greenwood and Zara Marks. Tyler Dransfield & Jamie Stodart were the only 29er crew to complete the course.
Well done to all the sailors and the race management and safety boat volunteers.
To view the results – click here
For all Centreboard Racing information – click here
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SSORC Preview
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Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s annual Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship reignites the good-natured rivalry between Sydney and Pittwater sailing crews – each believing they have the better pedigree, particularly within the Premier Divisions.
These turf battles play out a few times each year and will heat up for the 44th edition of SSORC to be conducted by the Middle Harbour club over the weekend of November 27-28 on Sydney Harbour and offshore.
The entry list features a stellar IRC line-up, where most of the harbour versus Pittwater bloodline battles play out. Multiple division 2 winner, Jack Stening and Colin Gunn’s Sydney 36 Stormaway, will be up against it with Peter Farrugia’s Bull 9000 Bullwinkle and Mark Hellyer’s Italia 11.98 Cicero bringing sail bags full of local talent down from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
In division one, the competition between MHYC’s Bob Cox’s DK46 Nine Dragons and Gerry Hatton’s RPAYC Mat 1245 Bushranger, bearing plenty of northern beaches pride, lives on. SSORC will be the regatta debut for Phil Dash’s new Grand Soleil Gs44 Justadash which looks fast although boat and crew are untested.
Premier Divisions 1 and 2 and Sydney 38s will sail an offshore race on Saturday November 27 and windward/leewards on the Sunday. Division 1 features three DK46s, Khaleesi (Rob Aldis and Sandy Farquharson) and Nine Dragons from the harbour and Pittwater-based Old School Racing owned by Mark Griffith.
Old School Racing’s RPAYC crew is keen to benchmark against two ‘like’ boats in the closing weeks before the Southern Hemisphere’s pinnacle bluewater event, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. “We want to develop into a regatta-winning team and SSORC is a good start,” said Griffith. “Lining up against the other DKs will identify the areas we need to work on.”
Griffith opted for the Mark Mills design, originally Dekadence, given its reputation as a great dual-purpose cruiser-racer with a handy rating that suits the windward/leeward format.
Khaleesi is also on the Rolex Sydney Hobart start list.
The Farr 40s and Super 40s, including the MC38s and Adrian Walters’ Shaw 11 Little Nico, will have a fleet start in Hunters Bay on the Saturday for the Seven Islands Race. On Sunday, the Farr 40s will join the offshore course for three windward/leewards while the Super 40s will remain inshore for their three short course races. Between 30-40 boats are expected for the mixed keelboat divisions of the Seven Islands Race which is part of the Jeanneau Cup Series.
A separate TP52 division is on the cards and Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson and MHYC Sailing Manager David Staley are looking at the options for a mix of windward/leeward and a coastal sprint on the Sunday.
MHYC Special Events Chairman and owner of the Xp 44 Toy Box 2, Ian Box, says “SSORC has a fabulous history that we work hard to preserve, while staying innovative. This year we have developed a wider weekend offering to cater for the diversity of racing preferences and at the same time we are focused on nurturing the heart of SSORC, the very competitive Premier and One-Design boats. I encourage everyone to get an entry in and participate in some of the best racing on offer.”
Enter SSORC and take advantage of the club announcing an extension of the early entry fee, up until 1700hrs on Wednesday 24 December, which is when final paperwork is also due.
Video from SSORC 2021 thanks to Tilly McKnight Media.
MHYC is grateful for the support of CYCA race management and thanks key SSORC sponsors Club Marine, Sail Racing, Robert Oatley Wines and Short Marine for their generosity.
The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions are available at www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au.
How to follow the SSORC:
Website www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au
Facebook: @MiddleHarbourYachtClub
Instagram: @middleharbouryachtclub
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Lively Combined Clubs Inshore Race
MHYC and Manly Yacht Club cooperated to deliver the Combined Clubs Inshore Race today. The forecast fresh conditions kept the number of starters low, but did not disappoint the more adventurous crews who braved the 20-25 knot gusty westerly.
In the Combined Clubs results, the Adams 10s Contentious (Brian Lees) and Another Dilemma (Jim Vaughan) were the best performers with 1st and 3rd in Division 2. In the MHYC Inshore results, Contentious claimed the One Design and PHS win for the Adams 10s. Toy Box 2 (Ian Box) and Stormaway (Jack Stening & Colin Gunn) took the Division 1 & 2 IRC honours. Toy Box 2 (Ian Box), Rumba (Rob Carr, Kerry Burke & Stephanie Cook) claimed the PHS and ORC wins for Divisions 1 & 2. Dania (Peter Charteris) won the Division 3 PHS.
For the MHYC Results - click here
For the Combined Clubs Results - click here
Marg Fraser-Martin was out on the harbour again to capture the action……
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Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series Race Two
Race two of the Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series was held today in a fresh, damp and cool southerly. After a beat from The Sound to Rose Bay and a run down to Grotto Point, Race Officer Robyn Tames shortened the course at Lady Bay.
First overall on PHS was Kaotic (Catherine Thornton-Rofe), ahead of Rumba (Stephanie Cook) and Gecko (Aurora Warren).
For the latest Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series results – click here
Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
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Lazy Dog’s back-to-back MC38 nationals victory
By Lisa Ratcliff
Back-to-back national MC38 titles for Shaun Lane and Quentin Stewart’s Lazy Dog was no picnic, hours of floating around Sydney Harbour expectantly on the final day yielding an empty scoresheet which meant victory reverted to day two’s narrow lead of one point over Marcus Blackmore’s Hooligan.
Middle Harbour Yacht Club tried valiantly to get a race away on Sunday November 7 under heavy cloud that quashed the breeze and storms that pulled what little wind there was wildly around the dial. Race officer Steve Tucker finally managed a start after 1pm (the first race was scheduled to start at 11am), only to have the light northerly swing to the south which saw half the fleet sailing from the top mark with kites and the other half sailing to the top mark also with kites.
That race was abandoned and the 1400hrs time limit gave Hooligan no chance to reverse the top order.
Recapping the three-day series Quentin Stewart said: “We felt the boat was quick all weekend. Friday there wasn’t much breeze and it was shifty, and a lot of chop – a tough day’s sailing. Saturday was a glamour with 15 knots out of the nor’east, 16-18 knots for the last race of the day (watch the video), and today was a glass-out.
“I’d like to congratulate the Hooligan guys on a hard-fought weekend – they certainly made it more difficult for us than we would have liked. We haven’t raced for a while and all had moments when we didn’t execute well. Even so, the quality of the fleet is very good and that makes it a pleasure for everyone to sail.”
Olympic and America’s Cup sailor Iain Jensen, who was on mainsheet for Hooligan, said: “It’s always hard to lose by a close margin. Lazy Dog was the stronger team this weekend.” It’s been a few years since Jensen raced with the MC38s and he enjoyed the depth of talent and tight racing this series, adding “the feeling in the class is really good”.
Third place went to InfoTrack skippered by 14-year-old Indy Beck.
Sydney’s extended COVID lockdown over the winter months generated significant turnover in the one design class and a new-look MC38 fleet fronted the nationals, the first hit-out since June.
Out is Chris Dare’s Easy Tiger, Steve Barlow’s Lightspeed and Ross Hennesy’s Ghost Rider. In is a second InfoTrack, helmed at the nationals by Barlow and boasting a who’s who including America’s Cup legend Joey Newton and North Sails’/Black Jack’s Mark Bradford, Matt Hanning’s Thor, and David Wills’ Law Connect.
Hanning finished fifth in his first MC38 regatta, his young team making up for limited time on the water with their pedigree - Australian Sailing Squad 49er sailors Jim Colley (tactics), Shaun Connor and Max Paul plus well-known match racer and SailGP’s James Wierzbowski among Thor’s crew. “It was a COVID purchase inspired by Mitch White who helped me put a team together. This regatta was a lot of fun – it’s a really social class,” Hanning said after racing.
Norse mythology inspired him to name his Beneteau First 53 Odin and now he’s added Thor to the stable.
The 2021 Australian Championship marks the end of a shortened season pointscore that went to the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club-based Hooligan.
MC38 regatta dates for 2022 have been posted on the website https://mc38racing.com/events2022
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MC38Class
Insta: @mc38aus
Website: https://mc38racing.com/
Photos by Tilly McKnight & Marg Fraser-Martin
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Day 1 Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
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Day 2 Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
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Day 3 Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
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Inshore Sprints for MHYC and SASC fleets
A moderate sou’ south easterly held steady for MHYC’s second round of inshore sprints on The Sound today.
Steve Tucker and the race management team completed two races for the Adams 10s, Divisions 1, 2 & 3 and the visiting SASC Super 30 fleet.
MHYC's Race 5 winners were:
- Adams 10 One Design – Contentious (Brian Lees)
- Adams 10 PHS – Lumine Lunae (Kim Darling)
- Division 1 IRC, ORC & PHS – Khaleesi (Sandy Farquharson & Rob Aldis)
- Division 2 IRC & PHS – Stormaway (Jack Stening & Colin Gunn)
- Division 2 ORC – MRX (Geoff Pearson)
- Division 3 PHS – Plan B (Brett Churcher)
MHYC's Race 6 winners were:
- Adams 10 One Design & PHS – No Friends (Adrian France)
- Division 1 IRC, ORC & PHS – Khaleesi (Sandy Farquharson & Rob Aldis)
- Division 2 IRC – Stormaway (Jack Stening & Colin Gunn)
- Division 2 ORC – Wailea (Neil Padden)
- Division 2 PHS – Rumba (Rob Carr, Steph Cook & Kerry Burke)
- Division 3 PHS – Plan B (Brett Churcher)
MHYC Adams 10 Results – click here
MHYC Divisional Results – click here
SASC Super 30 Results – click here
Marg Fraser-Martin was on the water to capture the action……
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MC38 Australian Championships
After four races on Day One of the MC38 Australian Championships, Hooligan from RPAYC is leading the pointscore from MHYC boats Lazy Dog (Shaun Lane & Quentin Stewart) and Infotrack (Indy & Christian Beck). Hooligan is being skippered by Daniel Turner, filling in for owner Marcus Blackmore. Seven more races are scheduled over the next two days.
For the latest results - click here
Day One Photos by Mark Fraser Martin...
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Something for everyone afloat and ashore!
There is something for everyone on the last weekend of November at MHYC - some great racing and plenty of fun back onshore.
The 44th Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championships gets underway with an Ocean passage race on the Saturday followed by some intense windward-leeward racing off Sydney Heads on the Sunday. A strong fleet is coming together for the IRC Divisions and the Sydney 38s will be joined by Farr 40s for one-design racing on day two.
The Seven Islands Race is a highlight of MHYC’s Feature Events program, attracting a large fleet of club and visiting boats for a tour of our magnificent harbour. This year the Super 40s and Farr 40s will have a fleet start in The Sound and lead the way around the islands course. The Super 40s will sail a short series of windward-leeward races in The Sound on Sunday.
Whatever you sail (even if you don’t), make sure you are ashore after racing on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the club’s biggest day of sailing since March and the opening of the new SandBar Deck! Enjoy the music, good company , good food and drinks. It’s almost summer and we can sail again!
For all the information about the Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championships, visit www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au
To enter the Seven Islands Pursuit Race – click here
For information about the Super 40 Spring Regatta – click here
For information about the Farr 40 Spring Regatta – click here
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Skippers and Crew Meet and Greet Wednesday 28th September
Skippers & Crew Meet and Greet 7pm on Wednesday 28th September
Looking for crew for the new season? Looking for a crew position? MHYC has arranged a Meet and Greet evening for sailors looking for a crew position on a MHYC Yacht.
The Meet & Greet will be held in the Harbour View Room on Wednesday 28th September at 7.00pm.
Skippers seeking crew for the season will be present so potential crew can meet the skippers and ask further questions. Skippers looking for crew will address the meeting outlining the program for their yacht this season and give an indication of the type of crew they are seeking. The crew can then ask questions of the skipper presenting to make sure they understand what is being sought. After the presentations, the skippers and crew can meet one on one over a drink in the bar.
Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone the Sailing Office (9969 1244 Wed-Sat) to advise your intention to attend the Meet & Greet session or if you have any questions.
Read more: Skippers and Crew Meet and Greet Wednesday 28th September