Now in its third year, the BYS Interclub Youth Regatta once again proved to be a resounding success, taking place over the weekend of December 9 and December 10. Twenty-seven sailors, aged between 16 and 30, hailing from around the bay joined forces for thrilling short-course format racing. The event featured eight races each day, culminating in a sixteen-race series aboard supplied J/70s. Sailors engaged in two-lap, windward-leeward races lasting around fifteen minutes, fostering close competition that demanded skilful crew work and careful tactical consideration. Teams were kept in check by the on-water umpire, who didn’t have to issue too many penalties.
Teams representing Sandringham Yacht Club, Royal Geelong Yacht Club, and Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron were randomly assigned to boats each day. Sailors praised the one-design racing, expressing their enjoyment of the J/70s, describing them as loads of fun — akin to ‘a big dinghy’ — and the perfect transitional boat between dinghies and ‘big boats’. Notably, seasoned J/70 sailors generously shared tips with newcomers, exemplifying the inclusive spirit that permeated the regatta on the dock, the race course, and during the social dinner on Saturday night. The final results, factoring in two discards, were as follows:
- 1st – Hayden Brown (skipper), Brandon Demura, Mac Bird, Ella Grimshaw, and Will Fox representing Sandringham Yacht Club.
- 2nd – Hayden Harding (skipper), Ed Warner (Saturday), Pip Danks (Sunday), Hannah Danks, Pat Singh (Saturday), and Katie Richardson, representing Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron.
- 3rd – Tom Opie (skipper), Mitch Harding, Sam Backwell (Saturday), Matt Hunter-Scott, and Jack Lewis, representing Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron.
The Kurt Jaks Sportsmanship Award was bestowed upon the Royal Geelong Yacht Club team, led by skipper Ben Garner, alongside Evie McDonald, Georgia Delaney, Mason Mahoney, and Imogen Farnell. This team exemplified sportsmanship values by promptly completing penalty turns, expressing gratitude to the race committee after each race, and maintaining focus even after an equipment fault, showcasing consistent improvement throughout the regatta.
Established as part of Blairgowrie’s commitment to promoting and expanding the participation levels of young adult sailors, the regatta’s intentionally ‘quick and close’ format fostered a strong social atmosphere, allowing sailors to relish the friendly rivalry.
Generous support from donor and past Commodore Kurt Jaks, Blairgowrie J/70 fleet owners (Tony Landgren, Narelle Kudnig, Georgina Plumridge, Andy Mac, Martin Kudnig, and Andrew ‘Doc’ Little), Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, and our team of volunteers committed to promoting and enhancing youth sailing ensured the event’s success, which otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.
For detailed results, visit the regatta page at https://bys.asn.au/2023-interclub-youth-regatta/.
Photo credit: Stephen Cowell
