A sunny day for the Giant Steps Charity Regatta
Exciting conditions for the Giant Steps Charity Regatta at MHYC on Friday with the sun shining and a gusty 18-23 knot westerly breeze.
The club was filled with 80 corporate participants for a fabulous days racing on Sydney Harbour taking in the sites of the Opera House and harbour bridge. This event is not possible without the generous donation of boats from MHYC skippers and their crew. Their support is greatly appreciated by the event organisers with money raised supporting children and young adults with Autism.
There were smiles all round as crews headed back to the club for a gourmet BBQ and presentation.
The results were close with the first seven boats finishing within four minutes of each other. Blue Tack came in first on the day skippered by Brent Lawson and supported by employees of VSL Australia. Only fourteen seconds later Cava came in second place with a team from Brown Wright Stein closely followed by team Kellor-Intrafor Joint Venture on Zen.
Many thanks to Marg Fraser-Martin for the fabulous photographs. For more photos click here.
For more information about Giant Steps and Autism, including how to donate to this worthy cause click here.
For full results click here
2022 Windsurfer Class Worlds in Mondello Sicily
380 young and old competitors at the 2022 Windsurfer Class Worlds in Mondello Sicily including MHYC sailor David West
Many Middle Harbour sailors will have great memories of windsurfing in the late 70’s and 80’s, hanging ten on a mild zephyr and ‘doing it standing up’. Last week over 380 competitors from 24 countries, including 35 Australians, many Olympians, past world champions, wave sailing legends and one MHYC member, David West, rekindled that spirit in the 2022 Windsurfer Class World Championships. READ MORE
Held in the clear, turquoise waters of Mondello in Sicily, surrounded by tall volcanic rock formations, competition was a spectacle of colour held in 4 disciplines: course racing, slalom, freestyle and a long distance marathon.
Italian race management and competitor aspirations were tested to the max in conditions that, whilst warm and picturesque, rarely exceeded 6 knots.
Since an update to the classic old windsurfer to the lighter but same shaped Windsurfer LT, the class has enjoyed a phenomenal resurgence globally with sailors of all ages. Very encouraging in Mondello was the number of young sailors in the under 15 and under 19 youth classes and over 70 women competing. The biggest age classes however were the 50-59 and 60 to 69 years groups that, despite their age, are still achieving great results and reliving long standing rivalries.
Racing was very competitive across all divisions but embraced the ‘windsurfer spirit’ both on and off the water. Many new memories and friendships were made, especially amongst the Australian team who supported and celebrated with each other during the week long competition with beer, great Italian food and legendary stories.
Best of the Australians were: Michael Lancey 2nd overall in medium heavy division, Rohan Cudmore 4th medium heavy division , Tim Gourlay 4th in lightweights. Local sailors Mat and Paul Ivshenko, Stuart Gilbert, Kevin Wadham, Scotty O’Connor, Mark Paul, Rob Stenta, Martin French and Simon Jones all finished in the top half of their divisions most in the top 20. MHYC’s David West finished a creditable 20th in his division given his broken thumb in the Gold Coast Race just prior to the event.
The next Worlds are to be held in Perth 27 December 2023-3 Jan 2024 so there’s plenty of time for more MHYC members to brush up on the old boardsailing skills and re-live the Windsurfer spirit in WA at the end of next year.
Full Results Here
Entry opens for Nautilus Marine Insurance 2022 Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship
Entry for the Nautilus Marine Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC) is open and, along with the Notice of Race, can be found online at the official site, with some competitors already preparing to rekindle old rivalries when Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s (MHYC) 45th running of the annual event is held on 26 and 27 November.
Bob Cox from the host club brought home the bacon in Division 1 last year with his DK46, Nine Dragons. However, Gerry Hatton’s Bushranger, which took second place on countback from the Mark Griffith skippered DK46, LCE Old School Racing, finished just one point in arears.
This year, Cox will be working on the backfoot. “I have some new people on board, so we’re pretty much rebuilding the crew. We’re doing some fun Wednesday racing to train them up and we’ll do some offshore races. We are preparing though,” he states.
“We’re looking forward to racing against the two other DK46’s, Khaleesi and LCE Old School Racing. Also Bushranger and the dark horse Mercury; it’s a quick Farr 40. And we always expect good racing from Toy Box 2,” Cox ended.
Nine Dragons will be up against it. Khaleesi has performed well since being acquired by Sandy Farquharson and MHYC Commodore, Rob Aldis. They won Division 1 of MHYC’s 2021 Sydney Harbour Regatta and the CYCA’s SOPS. Aldis also headed north with Kayimai in August, so will come to the event in decent shape.
LCE Old School is no slouch. In 2021, she placed third on countback in the 2021 SSORC, finished 15th overall in the Rolex Sydney Hobart and third overall in April’s Club Marine Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race to win Division 2.
A big danger is Bushranger, Hatton, from Pittwater, honed his skills at the Australian Yachting Championships in August. His Mat 1245 came away third against a classy field that included Olympic gold medallist Malcolm Page and America’s Cup winner, Joey Newton.
Mercury, owned by Mark Tinworth and Mark Waterhouse is the former Estate Master, which was adapted for IRC racing in 2018. She won the IRC National Championship in 2020 and placed third in the RPAYC’s Pittwater Regatta in February.
Owned by a past MHYC Commodore, Ian Box, Toy Box 2 scored a top three race finish at the Australian Yachting Championships, racing alongside Bushranger. Box and his playfully named boat are regulars on the inshore and offshore scene.
Jack Stening and Colin Gunn’s Sydney 36, Stormaway from the host club, does a lot of racing in Sydney. “It’s a tough division,” admits Stenning, whose boat has ended up second in Division 2 since 2016. “We’re always the bridesmaid – our goal is to win it this time,” he says emphatically.
“We always have serious competition from Foreign Affair in different events. Last year they won the SSORC - we were second - again. Sometimes they beat us, sometimes we beat them. We like the SSORC because you get a mix of offshore and sprints. Offshore starts add to the challenge and we love how fair and how close the racing is.
“We’re looking forward to it because we have a good crew and that makes a huge difference.
The races are run well too. We get clear and concise instructions. Denis Thompson (the PRO) is very good.
Stormaway’s crew will need to be at their best, with Matt Wilkinson confirming he and wife Lisa will be on the start line with Foreign Affair, their Farr 30.
“We’re intending to race. I’ve being doing the SSORC for many years on different boats. It’s a good event and we all come out of hibernation for the first big regatta for summer,” he declared.
“All the crew love it and we hope to do well. It’s always really well organised – David (Staley, MHYC Sailing Manager) does a great job. And the courses are always well run.”
As to competition, Wilkinson says, “We love racing against Stormaway. Jack and Colin are good sailors and mates. We assume Wailea and Philosopher to compete too. They are always good.”
Wailea is Neil Padden’s Beneteau 40.7 which finished fourth last year, while Philosopher is Peter Sorensen’s Sydney 38. ‘Sorro’ is rarely off the podium in the variety of events he does.
Organisers plan a passage race to Lion Island (in a northerly) or Cape Baily (in a southerly) starting from 9.55 hours on the Saturday. The race will be included in the CYCA Ocean Pointscore (OPS). Three windward/leeward races will round out the weekend on Sunday.
There is also an option to run another passage race for the TP52s or move the whole course inshore should the weather dictate. Denis Thompson has again been appointed PRO, with the CYCA providing race management.
Middle Harbour Yacht Club is pleased to announce that from September 2022, Nautilus Marine Insurance is a major sponsor of the Club, its main event partner for the Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship and for the Sydney Harbour Regatta in March 2023. Nautilus Marine Insurance continues direct support of the sailing community with the announcement of this sponsorship.
For those whose preference is inshore racing, the Seven Islands Race takes the fleet on a Sydney Harbour course and is run in tandem with the SSORC. It stretches competitors, but also offers a scenic route. With a pursuit-style start from the Club, the race sends competitors around famous Sydney Harbour islands. First home to the MHYC finish line wins the race.
All information, including Notice of Race and entry: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au
Di Pearson/MHYC media
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiddleHarbourYachtClub
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Read more: Entry opens for Nautilus Marine Insurance 2022 Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship
Officials Courses with discounts for Women
Australian Sailing has announced some Officials Courses along with discounts for Women and Girls
Upcoming Officials Courses
State/National Race Officer Course, 5th – 6th November at the CYCA - Register Here
IRC/ORC Measurer Training Seminar, 22nd-23rd October at Lake Mac YC – Register Here
EOI for Officials Courses not yet scheduled
https://www.sailing.org.au/australian-sailing-courses/
Discounts on all Courses for Women and Girls
Australian Sailing have a grant from the Office of Sport Her Sport Her Way Program which we are using to give a 50% discount on all instructor, coach and official courses for women and girls until 31 December 2023.
If you want to learn to be any of these….
- Assistant instructor (dinghy or windsurfing)
- Instructor (dinghy, keelboat, windsurfing, powerboat)
- Sailing coach
- Foil-lab coach
- Official (race officer, judge, measurer, umpire)
….find a course here - https://www.sailing.org.au/australian-sailing-courses/ and use the discount code HERSPORT50
The code can be used for more than one course, so if people want to gain more than one qualification – go for it!
GO GO Beck out-sails family while Lazy Dog edges out Swish
A third place to Christian Beck and his Infotrack GO team is as good as the MC38’s Act 6 overall victory given he beat two family members, the grinning skipper reckons.
“I’m very happy with that result,” Beck said back at the host Middle Harbour Yacht Club. “Not only did we come third, we also beat my son Indy helming Infotrack and my wife Rachel helming Law Connect. I don’t really care about beating any else!
“It’s the first time I’ve steered the whole series. Conditions were awesome, a bit fluky but that was challenging and fun. A special mention to Tony Mutter on tactics and Alex Gough for his input over a great weekend,” Beck added.
Yet another countback decided the final weekend series winner for the class’ 2022 season. This time it was retiring Australian class president Shaun Lane and his Lazy Dog co-owner, Quentin Stewart. Lazy Dog and Steven Proud’s Swish duelled relentlessly – the pair wrapping up Saturday and Sunday’s pointscores tied at the top of the scoresheet. Lazy Dog’s three race wins from seven versus Swish’s two made the difference.
“We had a real ding-dong with Swish, and Christian is sailing pretty tight,” Lane said. “The top three boats all had one shocker on Sunday. We were lucky to finish where we did given our fifth in the final race when the drop line got tangled and we couldn’t get the kite out, and had to cut the line.
“Both days were very fluky with the wind all over the place. Westerly fronts came through on Saturday bringing some decent squirts, one crew reckon they saw 27 knots. On Sunday the breeze was swinging between southwest and north northwest, down to 3 knots then suddenly gusting to 18,” Lane added.
MHYC race officer Steve Tucker and his savvy team ran another terrific regatta, the one-design class’ final act prior to the MC38 Australian Championship in November. There is talk that the nationals, to be hosted by Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron over three days, November 2- 4, could bring 10 MCs to the starting gates.
The class thanks Shaun Lane for his four-year presidency and welcomes Christian Beck as the new supreme commander.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MC38Class
Insta: @mc38aus
Website: https://mc38racing.com/
By Lisa Ratcliff
Australian MC38 Association media
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Read more: GO GO Beck out-sails family while Lazy Dog edges out Swish
MHYC sailors at NSW Youth Championships
The NSW Youth Championships were held at Point Wolstoncroft on Lake Macquarie over the long weekend attracting 215 competitors and 170 entries racing across 11 dinghy and board classes. Tyler Dransfield (29er) and Marin Christodoulou-Le Gac (Optimist Intermediate) were on the podium and presented medallions, but another 11 MHYC members also performed well in their respective divisions.
29er – Tyler Dransfield & Markus Sampson 2nd, Ben Crafoord & Jacob Marks 5th, Oliver Ross & Harry Gill 15th
420 – Will Wilkinson & Luca Alexander 4th
Laser 4.7 – Jasper Kinsman 14th
Optimist Open – Angus Griffin 11th, Will Rogers 17th, Titouan Christodoulou-Le Gac 18th, Meg Bates 22nd, Isabella Lozevski8 23rd
Optimist Intermediate – Marin Christodoulou-Le Gac 3rd, Astrid Nixey 18th, Annabel Griffin 22nd
MHYC’s Sailing Manager David Staley was Principal Race Officer for the Championship, leading a team of 80 officials and volunteers who delivered 101 races over the 3 days.
For results and event information, visit www.sailingyouth.org.au/nsw-championship
For photos and videos, visit www.facebook.com/AustSailYouth
Photos by Beau Outteridge
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MHYC Racing on September 17
MHYC crews had their work cut out with variable conditions providing lots of challenges on September 17. Gusty winds, sometimes light and sometimes fresh, shifted between west and north. Sunshine was interspersed with rain.
The boats in the Inshore Spring Pointscore for IRC, ORC, PHS and Adams 10 shared a start line with the MC38 fleet contesting their Act 6 and sailed a course circling The Sound and finishing at the club. Neil Padden's Wailea took the IRC, ORC & PHS honours in Division 12 (combined divisions 1 & 2) while John Crawford's Innamincka won on ORC and Dean Dransfield's Escape claimed PHS in Division 3. Kim Darling's Lumine Lunae was best of the Adams 10s.
A number of MHYC crew competed in the CYCA Short Offshore Pointscore race yesterday and dealth with similar conditions to the inshore fleets. Sandy Farquharson helmed Khaleesi to an IRC win in Division 1 and Jack Stening & Colin Gunn reclaimed the Rubber Kellaway Plate for Division 2 on IRC in Stormaway. Andy Forbes' Georgia Express was third.
To view the Inshore Divisional Race Results - click here
To view the Inshore Division 12 Race Results - click here
To view the Short Offshore Pointscore Race Results - click here
Inshore Race photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
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Saturday Sprints Action on the Sound
MHYC’s Inshore Series on Saturday 24 September comprised of two sprint races for the combined Divisions 1 & 2 (Division 12), Division 3 and Adams 10. As well, a fleet of Super 30s from Sydney Amateur Sailing Club joined in. A moderate sou’ sou’ easterly became fresh at times, providing for some close racing.
In Division 12, Jack Stening and Colin Gunn had a good day on Stormaway with 1-2 scores on IRC and ORC and 1-3 on PHS. Ian Box and Toy Box 2 scored 2-1 on IRC & ORC and PHS, while Sebastian Hultin claimed the PHS race 2 win in Stella Polaris. John Crawford’s Innamincka made a clean sweep of Division 3 ORC and PHS results. The Adams 10s were chasing Tracy Richardson and the crew of Artemis all afternoon. Artemis won both races on one-design (scoring 1-3 on PHS) with Contentious (Brian Lees) and No Friends (Geoff Charters) the next best.
For the latest results – click here
Thanks to Marg Fraser-Martin for all the action shots……….
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Tricky First Day for MC38 Act 6 at MHYC
It was day with everything - light to fresh breezes shifting unpredictably to the north and west with sunshine and rain. Plenty of challenges for competitors and the race management team on day one of the MC38 Act 6 being sailed on The Sound on September 17.
After four races, Shaun Lane & Quentin Stewart's Lazy Dog has a tie-break advantage over Steven Proud's Swish courtesy of two race wins. Christian Beck's Infotrack Go is third.
Three races are scheduled for Sunday to conclude the last of the MC38 Acts ahead of the Australian Championships being hosted by Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron in November.
To view the results - click here
Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
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Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series underway
Race 1 of the Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series was run by MHYC on Sunday 25 September on a beautiful sunny afternoon with a light southerly turning easterly as the day progressed. Congratulations to Jenny Danks and the crew of Bluetack for their Division 1 win. Georgia Express (Katie O’Mara) was third in Division 1. For the full results – click here
Thanks to Marg Fraser-Martin for some great action photos….
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Focus on Women's Sailing in October
MHYC is creating a focus for women in sailing during October as part of the World Sailing global Steering the Course Women's Sailing Festival.
MHYC Women in Sailing Social - Wednesday October 5 at 7pm
Join us to celebrate MHYC women in sailing. This event is open to everyone and will be a great way to kick-off the sailing season with a social event recognising some of the great sailors we have an MHYC. Hear from Tracey Richardson and the female crew of Artemis who were this year's Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta (AWKR) champions as well as the 2021-22 Sydney Harbour Women's Keelboat regatta winners. They will share their stories and practical tips that have helped them put together a fun and competitive team. The ticket price includes a drink on arrival and canapes. Please join us for a fun and social night! Book Now
MHYC Women's Try Sailing Day - Sunday October 9 at 10am
Come and try sailing at MHYC. Commencing at 10am, this event is open to everyone and free! The day will include a welcome and briefing, a relaxed 90-minute harbour sail on a MHYC members' keelboat and a sausage sizzle back at the club. Please join us for a fun and social day and find out how you can enjoy this wonderful sport and recreation. Book Now
MHYC Women's Twilight Series - Thursday October 13 at 6pm
The club’s popular Thursday Twilight Series includes twenty four races this year, six of which make up the Women’s Twilight Pointscore. Four divisions of yachts, from family cruisers to purebred racing machines, share the joy of racing on our spectacular harbour. Perhaps the best part of the day is returning to the lively social atmosphere of MHYC as the sun goes down to enjoy a meal, wine and good friends. The first of the 2022-2023 Women’s Twilight Races get underway at 6pm on October 13. To enter a yacht – click here. If you are a crew looking for a yacht – email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To download the 2022-2023 MHYC Women's Sailing Poster - click here