Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard June to September

Farr 40 25th Year Anniversary Regatta at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron

by Farr 40 Class Association 12 May 2022 08:37 BST 7-8 May 2022

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron really turned on the charm as host of the Farr 40, 25th Year Anniversary Regatta!

For Saturday's race, Principal Race Officer Rob Ridley set off the eight-boat fleet on a passage race around Sydney Harbour in a pleasant 8 - 12 knot westerly breeze and magnificent autumn sunshine. Nutcracker and Exile both got away to good starts and were neck and neck at the first turning mark, with the whole fleet just behind and converging fast. A tight reach up the harbour to Cannae Point made for exciting rides, and nearly all boats took an involuntary spill at some point! Positions remained relatively orderly for the trip back down the harbour.

However, nothing can ever be taken for granted on Sydney Harbour, and in a race of 'Snakes & Ladders', the whole fleet order changed at the Taylors Bay turning mark, courtesy of a massive wind shadow. Forty and Solymar were to emerge as the new race leaders. Conditions changed quickly in the final few miles of the race, and those who reacted with the tidiest boat handling were rewarded.

Everyone enjoyed the race with Nutcracker sailing well to win, and Forty and Solymar holding on to take second and third respectively. Back at the RSYS clubhouse, cold drinks and a BBQ feast awaited the eighty weary and hungry competitors. Event sponsors Oakdene Wines, North Sails Australia, and Foxtel generously provided terrific prizes for the event Raffle winners. It was a wonderful day indeed, with the iconic 'Squaddie' at her glorious best!

Day two of the regatta greeted the fleet with light southerly winds, raising doubts as to whether racing could even take place. In some fine Race Management work, three short windward leeward races were in fact completed before the breeze completely dropped out. Exile was boat of the day with two race wins and a 5th. Current National champion Edake also had a good day, posting a 2nd, 3rd, 4th. However, it was consistency across both days of the regatta which was to produce the overall placegetters. After a break from the class, it was terrific to see Sam Hill and Mick O'Brien back to take 3rd place overall in Forty. Also back for the event, was class stalwart and past World Champion Guido Belgiorno-Nettis, who showed all those years of practice haven't gone astray - Exile placed 2nd overall. But it was the most practiced and consistent team of late who were to take the overall regatta win aboard Nutcracker, guided masterfully around the course by tactician Grant Simmer.

As a newcomer to competitive yacht racing, Peta Davis remarked: "It was an absolute thrill for me as a guest and sponsor to experience racing on the Saturday and meet some sailing icons. Sailing on Sydney harbour was phenomenal and Oakdene Wines look forward to being a part of your next event".

Regatta sponsor, Mark Bradford, of North Sails Australia had this to say of the weekend: "It was great to be a part of this event, North Sails and the Farr 40 class have a long and successful relationship. This was a great weekend for trading old war stories... It was also great to check back in with a boat and a Class that has given us some of the best racing of our careers"

Final words to Nutcracker skipper, Rob Davis: "What a weekend, we could not have hoped for a better location and conditions. The class looks to have emerged from the pandemic in good shape and a resurgence in fleet numbers. It's good to see the class executive has recognised the changing times though, putting in place some new and different event formats. With more initiatives in the pipework's for next season, the fleet should continue to enjoy a bright future".

The Farr 40 Class wish to extend their thanks and gratitude to RSYS for providing an outstanding weekend of sailing and socialising.

Passage Race results available here.

Overall Series results available here.

Related Articles

Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week overall
Class Leaders Win Big at 20th Edition There were few surprises on the final day of racing at Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week as class leaders who took control on Day 1 skillfully navigated the unusual-for-Long Beach conditions to prevail in their respective classes. Posted on 23 Jun
Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week Day 2
Another day of not-so-classic Long Beach conditions Day 2 of the 20th edition Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week, co-organized by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) and Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC) dished up another day of not-so-classic Long Beach conditions. Posted on 22 Jun
Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week Day 1
Leaders emerge in all 10 classes in a lighter than usual breeze Day 1 of the 20th edition Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week, co-organized by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) and Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC), challenged those used to the bigger breeze that the venue usually dishes out. Posted on 21 Jun
Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week starts Friday
115+ competitors race ready for 20th edition of legendary West Coast event With some 115 boats signed up to participate in the 20th edition of Ullmans Sails Long Beach Race week, the regatta is thrilled to welcome plenty of newcomers to enjoy three days of world-class sailing in the best racing conditions Posted on 19 Jun
Behind the scenes at Long Beach Race Week
The inside scoop on the LBRW Race Management Team To pull off not just a good but a great regatta requires both a passion for the sport but also solid knowledge of sailboat racing and a healthy appetite for fun. Posted on 14 Jun
Register now for Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week
LBRW is open to multiple classes and in 2025 the event is proud to host the Catalina 37 Nationals Exciting racecourses with flat water offerings inside of the Long Beach breakwater, and big waves and big breeze on the outside are just a few of the factors that make the Long Beach Race Week regatta one of the most enjoyable on the west coast. Posted on 14 May
Race Yachts latest premium offerings
When only the best will do... Race Yachts are thrilled to present our latest premium offerings in high-performance race yachts, available now through Race Yachts Brokerage. Our collection features some of the most exciting vessels on the market. Posted on 12 May
Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week 2024 overall
A full complement of races sailed in eleven divisions The 19th edition of Long Beach Race Week concluded on Sunday with a full complement of races sailed in eleven divisions, including six one design classes and five PHRF fleets. Posted on 24 Jun 2024
Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week 2024 day 2
Big breeze challenges even the best on Day 2 Day two at Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week gave everyone plenty of breeze starting in the mid-teens out of the west, and the gift for the day was extra wind with gusts of 20+ toward the end of the racing, noted Bruce Cooper Posted on 23 Jun 2024
Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week 2024 day 1
A simply outstanding racing day On a simply outstanding racing day for the first of the three-day Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week regatta, many teams got off the dock early prior to a 1pm first gun and headed out to see what Long Beach was going to deliver on day 1. Posted on 22 Jun 2024