Musto Skiff Victorian State Championships at Metung Yacht Club

2013 Musto Skiff Victorian State Championships © Dr Andy Phelp

2013 Musto Skiff Victorian State Championships © Dr Andy Phelp

2013 Musto Skiff Victorian State Championships © Dr Andy Phelp

For the first time ever the Australian Musto Skiff fleet headed to Metung for their 2013 Victorian State Championships. 15 boats from competed, making this the largest regatta this year.

The fleet welcomed two sailors back from short breaks outside the Musto fleet - Jono Neate back from a break building his kitchen, sailing Marcus Hamilton's boat loaned on account of a bad knee - and Jon's brother Paul borrowing Brett William's boat. Chris Sutherland won the most travelled award trekking from Perth for the weekend.

The Metung Yacht Club Commodore, members and race committee were welcoming and proactive in working with the class to produce fair and enjoying racing.

The forecast for the Labour Day weekend was for high temps and variable winds, with the chance of light sea breezes. The championships had a schedule of three races on each afternoon of the long weekend with potentially nine races with two discards.

Day 1

Whilst not looking like we would have much breeze, the cloud eventually burnt off and a sea breeze started on Lake King an hour before the 2pm start time. Three races were raced in a light to moderate, shifty breeze. The results from the first three races were mixed and it was great to see some of the new musto sailors posting some good scores, indicating hard work over summer was paying off.

Will Phillips dominated the first race, correctly picking the right hand side of the lake, enjoying a right hand shift and the upwind current to establish a big lead and led from start to finish. Lightweight Daryl Stone from Albury, in his first Musto regatta, enjoyed second place for most of race eventually finishing a well deserved 5th just behind Chris Sutherland. Paul Newman was 2nd, his brother Jon 3rd.

Will took off again in the second race, narrowly leading around the course with Jon and Jono Neate close behind. He held his narrow lead almost to the end. At the gate for the second time, Will mistakenly rounded to go upwind, failing to realise it was a 2 lap course, not the 3 laps sailed for Race 1. Jon sailed through for the win, Will returned for 2nd place, Jono for 3rd.

The last race of the day saw the the wind back to favour the left hand shoreline. Chris Piele started towards the pin, climbed out over the boats below, tack on the left hand lay line and led to the top mark. Jon rounded close second, Tim Hill 3rd. Jon overtook Chris on the first run, followed by Tim and brother Paul to the gate, positions remained this way at to the finish, with Will finishing 4th.

At the end of Day 1, Jon led from Will, rueing his lost win in Race 2, Paul in third. At the conclusion of racing it was straight to the Metung Yacht Club baloney for refreshing drinks and a delicious yacht club dinner.

Day 2

Day 2 dawned with drizzle and cloud cover overhead, the race committee advising competitors to stay on shore until the sea breeze filled in. On cue, the cloud burned off, the sky cleared and the breeze came in at 2:30 pm for another afternoon of racing. Race 4, 5 & 6 provided excellent musto conditions with 10-16 knots and flat water.

Jon and Will took to each other off the start line, with Jon taking an early lead on his former 49er skipper and placing a loose cover on him throughout the race. This left Jono to win the pin, go hard left and pull away for a comfortable win. Tim came in 2nd, Paul in 3rd.

Race 5 followed the pattern of Race 4, except this time Jon negotiated the vagaries of the left hand shoreline lead to windward mark, Jono and Will close behind. Will had the pleasure of wrapping his tack line around the pole. He stopped, managed to make his way gingerly out to the bow, unwrapped it, got back behind the shrouds and going again as boats zoomed past him - deserving a 10/10 for balance, athletic ability and patience - but leaving him well behind the leaders. Jon led to the gate, Jono followed with Tim Moorhouse in 3rd, positions remained this way at the finish, with Tim Hill 4th, pipping Paul for 5th.

Jon once again led showed the fleet just how easy it is to win, placing first in heat 6, Will in 2nd, Paul coming in 3rd. Injured musto sailor Marcus Hamilton contributed greatly to the day by providing cold refreshments for the sail to shore for all sailors and the race committee from his commandeered trimaran. Good form Marcus, Sig & Em!

Day 3

It was like nothing could go wrong for the musto fleet, the breeze came in early for the last day of racing we had another three races in excellent conditions. Will Phillips was a chance to catch series leader Jon Newman. Will was in good form and did really really well on the last day, but could not seal the deal on the water and catch the consistent Jon Newman.

Light and varied conditions prevailed for Heat 7, but this didn't stop Jon from finding another condition to win in. Will once again 2nd with Sabre legend Wayne Bates coming in 3rd.

The breeze filled for Race 8. Will found another gear and won from Jono, Jon proving he could make errors, finishing 3rd, Tim in 4th - with this result Jon sealed the deal and didn't need to race the final heat.

Race 9 went to Jono, Will again in 2nd, Tim in 3rd. Jon came in 4th, dropping the result.

Well done to Jon Newman for this second consecutive State Championship.

The decision to head to Metung was to make the regatta more of a holiday and expose the fleet to competing outside of Port Philip Bay. The weekend was a great success. The venue, yacht club and sailing conditions were fantastic - warm water and weather, reliable breeze and fair sailing - along with a terrific race committee who seemed to make everything effortless - hard to imagine a better place to sail these boats.

Lastly, a big thanks to Tim Hill and Jon Newman for organising the event, RiRo for the shirts and to the sailors that travelled from interstate to compete.