Race 17 was sailed in a light southerly with a scratch start.
Uncle Norm, Eric Partland and Gary Wills, lead from the start, repeating their performance of the week before. They came in first with a ten minute lead, though this time it was only enough to give them a third placing on handicap. The real competition occurred back in the pack. After the ten minute wait at the finish line, the rest of the fleet crossed within 12 minutes.
Hirondelle, Peter Barnes and Geoff Smith, was second across the line, followed by Tranquil, Neil Johnson and Frank Maloney. Helen Joy, Chris Giaquinto and John Whitelock, crossed the line fourth and won the handicap. Chris said it was a very exciting race, and they were rapt with the win. “I didn’t know (they had won) until I got home, but both of us thought we did quite well under tricky conditions. We were in the middle group. We were regularly swapping positions. One minute one group got a lift and we got a knock, then it changed.” Chris said they were lucky at the end of the race, “we were in a good position”. Chris and John have now sailed together several times, and Chris said they are communicating well, and working as a team. “John is quite a calming influence, he doesn’t get over-exited and constantly communicates.” Pelican, Joe Horinek and Nihal Danis, was second in the handicap and Uncle Norm third.
The Drummoyne TS16 team was successful on Sunday, winning the Lake Macquarie Challenge. David and Russell Johnston, sailing in Vinca for the first time, were overtaken at the last moment and beaten by one second by Freudian Slip. The video is on the Hartley TS16 Association of Australia Facebook page, along with some photos of the successful challengers.
Back on home waters, Annette, Ron Johnston and Ben Speed, is leading the season point score, with Uncle Norm second and Murphy’s Law, David and Russell Johnston, third.
Uncle Norm is leading the Fastest Point Score, followed by Tranquil and then Aeolian, Darren and Kylie Chignell.
Uncle Norm is leading the Championship point score, and with four firsts and one more championship race to go, is now impossible to beat, though Eric points out that on two occasions they only beat Tranquil by 14 seconds, and “those 14 seconds could have changed the outcome.” Tranquil, Neil Johnson and Bret Pollitt, is second and Aeolian third. Annette, Ron Johnston and Ben Speed, is leading the season point score, with Uncle Norm second and Murphy’s Law, David and Russell Johnston, third.
