Centreboard Summer Series caps off 2021
The final MHYC sailing event for 2021 was the Centreboard Summer Series with two races completed before a storm cell caused the abandonment of racing.
Will Wilkinson and Miles Greenwood each claimed a race win, leaving Will one point ahead in the series score.
To view the results - click here
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Fresh breezes for Combined Clubs Race
The Combined Clubs Inshore Series race on 18 December was started earlier to clear the racetrack for the foiling F50 catamarans and the final day of the Sydney SailGP. It was a lively race with a warm and fresh north-easterly.
In the Combined Clubs results, No Friends (Geoff Charters) and Rumba (Rob Carr, Steph Cook & Kerry Burke) were 2nd and 4th on PHS while Wailea (Neil Padden) was 2nd on IRC. Innamincka (John Crawford was 5th on PHS in Division 3.
Combined Clubs Inshore Series Results – click here
MHYC Inshore Summer Series Results – click here
MHYC IRC Summer Series Results – click here
MHYC Adams 10 Combined Clubs Series Results – click here
Marg Fraser Martin was on the water to capture all the action
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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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Centreboard Club Championship continues
Sunday was overcast and cool, but a steady 13-15 knot south easterly was perfect for the third day of the MHYC Centreboard Club Championship Series sailed in Hunters Bay.
Will Wilkinson took two wins today and now has a single point advantage over Miles Greenwood in the Optimist Division. Heidi Bates is in third.
The next racing day is the Centreboard Summer Series on December 19.
For the latest Centreboard Club Championships Results - 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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Victoire, Nine Dragons and Mille Sabords take SSORC top honours
Paul Jenkins and his Sydney 38 crew onboard Mille Sabords won their first ever regatta on a wild and wet Sydney weekend racing for the host club in the annual Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship that drew 55 mixed keelboats boats from various New South Wales clubs.
“Persistence in Saturday’s offshore race and a reasonable Sunday gave us our first regatta win after buying the boat in January,” a delighted Jenkins said. “The youngest in the crew is 50 – we keep saying where are the 25-year-olds who used to be us? – and everyone had three jobs today with only a broken winch handle to replace. We’ve been together as a team for a long time and did the 2019 Hobart race together – they are a great group of guys.”
After a punishing coastal passage race on Saturday in strong southerlies, the Middle Harbour Yacht Club crew of Mille Sabords fronted six-up for Premier Division 2’s three windward/leeward races on Sydney Harbour, the race management team adjusting the program prior to day two racing and electing to keep all fleets inshore, out of the nasty swell.
Bob Cox’s DK46 Nine Dragons saved the best for last, sneaking through the two RPAYC boats in Premier Division 1, Gerry Hatton’s Bushranger and Mark Griffith’s Old School Racing, on handicap in the final short course race of three to add another SSORC trophy to the Dragon’s impressive collection.
Amazingly, it was the first time the boat had lined up after more than a year out undergoing extensive repairs from hitting South reef during a Short Ocean Pointscore race. “It’s pretty amazing we were able to come back so strong to take it by one point,” said the surprised skipper. “Special thanks to the crew who never gave up, in particular Billy Sykes and Will MacKenzie.”
Second in Premier Division 1 was Bushranger, the Mat 1245 from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and third on a countback to second was clubmate Mark Griffith’s DK46. “I’d say those two RPAYC boats are the best in the country on IRC; for the old girl [his boat] to comeback like this is incredible,” Cox added as the beer flowed down at The Spit where MHYC hosted the trophy presentation after racing.
Darryl Hodgkinson’s Carkeek 40 Victoire (CYCA) narrowly wrapped up top honours in the Super 40 Spring Regatta series of four races that constituted one of the Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship pointscores – a countback with Indy Beck’s MC38 InfoTrack separating the top two teams. Full Super 40 results.
“It was an exciting weekend and it’s always great to race against the MC38 teams,” Hodgkinson said. “We love doing Middle Harbour regattas and we really enjoyed the racing. Earlier I thanked my wife, who loves gold things, for the new yellow A4 kite which made it very easy to spot us on the harbour on a dull and rainy weekend.”
Though there were some nervous moments, Hodgkinson managed to keep Victoire on its feet for Saturday’s Seven Islands Race and Sunday’s two inshore passage races.
Conditions moderated on Sunday November 28, 15-25 knots out of the S-SE compared to Saturday’s rolling rain squalls, step seas and blasts of southerly wind which peaked around 35 knots offshore.
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
A selection of photos by Andrea Francolini
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Read more: Victoire, Nine Dragons and Mille Sabords take SSORC top honours
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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Nine Dragons and Mille Sabords take SSORC top honours
Paul Jenkins and his Sydney 38 crew onboard Mille Sabords won their first ever regatta on a wild and wet Sydney weekend racing for the host club in the annual Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship that drew 55 mixed keelboats boats from various New South Wales clubs.
“Persistence in Saturday’s offshore race and a reasonable Sunday gave us our first regatta win after buying the boat in January,” a delighted Jenkins said. “The youngest in the crew is 50 – we keep saying where are the 25-year-olds who used to be us? – and everyone had three jobs today with only a broken winch handle to replace. We’ve been together as a team for a long time and did the 2019 Hobart race together – they are a great group of guys.”
After a punishing coastal passage race on Saturday in strong southerlies, the Middle Harbour Yacht Club crew of Mille Sabords fronted six-up for Premier Division 2’s three windward/leeward races on Sydney Harbour, the race management team adjusting the program prior to day two racing and electing to keep all fleets inshore, out of the nasty swell.
Bob Cox’s DK46 Nine Dragons saved the best for last, sneaking through the two RPAYC boats in Premier Division 1, Gerry Hatton’s Bushranger and Mark Griffith’s Old School Racing, on handicap in the final short course race of three to add another SSORC trophy to the Dragon’s impressive collection.
Amazingly, it was the first time the boat had lined up after more than a year out undergoing extensive repairs from hitting South reef during a Short Ocean Pointscore race. “It’s pretty amazing we were able to come back so strong to take it by one point,” said the surprised skipper. “Special thanks to the crew who never gave up, in particular Billy Sykes and Will MacKenzie.”
Second in Premier Division 1 was Bushranger, the Mat 1245 from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and third on a countback to second was clubmate Mark Griffith’s DK46. “I’d say those two RPAYC boats are the best in the country on IRC; for the old girl [his boat] to comeback like this is incredible,” Cox added as the beer flowed down at The Spit where MHYC hosted the trophy presentation after racing.
Darryl Hodgkinson’s Carkeek 40 Victoire (CYCA) narrowly wrapped up top honours in the Super 40 Spring Regatta series of four races that constituted one of the Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship pointscores – a countback with Indy Beck’s MC38 InfoTrack separating the top two teams. Full Super 40 results.
“It was an exciting weekend and it’s always great to race against the MC38 teams,” Hodgkinson said. “We love doing Middle Harbour regattas and we really enjoyed the racing. Earlier I thanked my wife, who loves gold things, for the new yellow A4 kite which made it very easy to spot us on the harbour on a dull and rainy weekend.”
Though there were some nervous moments, Hodgkinson managed to keep Victoire on its feet for Saturday’s Seven Islands Race and Sunday’s two inshore passage races.
Conditions moderated on Sunday November 28, 15-25 knots out of the S-SE compared to Saturday’s rolling rain squalls, step seas and blasts of southerly wind which peaked around 35 knots offshore.
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
View the photo gallery
Read more: Nine Dragons and Mille Sabords take SSORC top honours
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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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
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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