Please select your home edition
Edition
Melges 15

Sail Port Stephens Windward-Leeward Series Overall

by Sail Port Stephens Media 29 Apr 01:25 BST 26-28 April 2024

State titles were one for the ages

Age has not wearied two veterans of Australian sailing, with Marcus Blackmore and Ray Roberts claiming prestigious NSW IRC titles at the Sail Port Stephens Windward-Leeward Series over the weekend.

Blackmore's new Hooligan claimed Division 1 honours in the NSW Yachting Championships against arguably the strongest fleet of TP52s assembled in Australia, handing David Doherty's all-conquering Matador a rare defeat, while Roberts' Botin Fast 40 Team Hollywood prevailed in Division 2 against reigning national champion Let's Get It On.

The six-race series was sailed in a range of conditions, beginning with a 20-knot southerly and high seas on Friday, through to a gentle passage race on Saturday then an idyllic nor-easter of 10-12 knots yesterday.

At 79, Blackmore is relishing his third stint in the TP52 class aboard his newly built boat, having previously bought yachts with world-title form.

"It's a new boat and we're still learning," he said. "After SailFest Newcastle we had a reset and that's delivered for us in this regatta.

"It's never easy to knock off Matador. They're very well sailed but today we were able to get up - that's the game. But we also demonstrated in this regatta how close the boats are, which makes it really interesting for everyone.

"The owners are a really close-knit group and to come here to Port Stephens has been fantastic." While collecting his Division 2 silverware, Ray Roberts joked: "I don't want to upset the young guys but I'll let you in on a secret - this is the first regatta I've won since turning 80."

It was also his first Sail Port Stephens foray, and he was greatly impressed. "The sailing area is unmatched in the world. It's The best sailing area I've ever sailed in, and I've sailed pretty well everywhere," he added.

Team Hollywood won the first three windward-leewards on Friday, revelling in the high-wind surfing conditions. It posted a 6th in the passage race after being buried in a windless hole at the start then a 4th and 2nd yesterday to finish on 15 points.

Let's Get It On, a Corby 36 owned by Garry Holt from Southport Yacht Club, showed brilliant consistency to finish with three second placings and a first. Fittingly, it won the Rob Hampshire Cup judged on ORC, edging out the Bull 9000 Bullwinkle and Beneteau 40.7 Wailea.

In the Pallas Capital Gold Cup Act 3, sailed under the TPR rule, series leader Matador resumed normal service in race 5 yesterday, posting its fourth win in five races, before finishing with a 4th. Two points behind was Craig Neil's Quest, which had started the day on equal points with Matador, while Seb Bohm's Smuggler finished third. Mark Spring's Highly Sprung was the leading Corinthian entry.

The Sail Port Stephens regatta series now moves inshore from Friday, May 3, with the Bay Series incorporating the Australian Sports Boat Association NSW Titles, along with a strong fleet of J70s. May 4-5 will add an off-the-beach component, comprising RS Aeros, Finns, OK dinghies and an open division.

Event website: www.sailportstephens.com.au/windward-leeward-series

Sail Port Stephens is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism agency Destination NSW, Port Stephens Council, Pantaenius Australia and subsidiary sponsors.

Related Articles

Revised dates & format for Sail Port Stephens 2023
The iconic Commodores Cup series is being extended to five days Sail Port Stephens (SPS) is revamping its event schedule and revising dates for racing in April and May 2023, having outgrown the previous week-long format that remained largely unchanged since its inception in 2008. Posted on 30 Sep 2022
Sail Port Stephens overall
Spectacular week of racing comes to fading finish As so often happens in yacht racing, the story is denied a fitting finish due to a lack of wind when it's needed most. And it was certainly the case at Sail Port Stephens today, with a predicted 10-knot sou'easter failing to materialise. Posted on 10 Apr 2022
Sail Port Stephens Day 6
Change as good as a holiday on Sailebration Saturday The best laid schemes of mice, men and race committees often go awry, especially in the fluid environment of yacht racing, and Day 6 of Sail Port Stephens 2022 was one of those days. Posted on 9 Apr 2022
Sail Port Stephens Day 5
Pantaenius Sail Port Stephens Trophy Series off to a bright and breezy start Pessimists were predicting showers and light winds but the optimists and opportunists seized the day as the Pantaenius Sail Port Stephens Trophy Series and NSW Yachting Championships got off to a mostly bright and breezy start. Posted on 8 Apr 2022
Sail Port Stephens Day 3
Commodores Cup finale is yacht racing at its best Queensland has Surfers Paradise, NSW has Sailors Paradise. It's located just outside the headlands of Port Stephens, where a cluster of Hawaiian-style islands from the set of Jurassic Park create an idyllic racecourse for yachts Posted on 6 Apr 2022
Sail Port Stephens Day 2
Postcard conditions as paradise finds some breeze They say history never repeats but a 'lightening' breeze can certainly strike twice, as 120 yachts competing in Sail Port Stephens' Commodores Cup Race 2 discovered today. Posted on 5 Apr 2022
Sail Port Stephens Day 1
Off to gentle start and bunched finish Rarely has there been a parting as sweet as watching 120 yachts slide down a sparkling Port Stephens under spinnaker in Race 1 of the 2022 Bannisters Port Stephens Commodores Cup. Posted on 4 Apr 2022
2018 Sail Port Stephens day 7
Huey has the final say After six days of sublime sunshine and sailing, a wild westerly has put paid to any further racing across all divisions, leaving overnight results standing. Posted on 15 Apr 2018
2018 Sail Port Stephens day 6
Super Saturday of Sail Port Stephens 2018 was as good as it gets If you like your sailing fast and flat, with uninhabited islands and surfing beaches added for good measure, then Super Saturday of Sail Port Stephens 2018 was as good as it gets. Posted on 14 Apr 2018
NSW IRC Championship day 1
Patrice toasts champagne conditions at Sail Port Stephens Fittingly for a fleet boasting Wild Oats X for the first time, the NSW IRC Championships at Sail Port Stephens enjoyed champagne sailing conditions on the offshore race course for three windward-leeward races on day one. Posted on 13 Apr 2018