3:46 AM Mon 1 Feb 2010 GMT
It was supposed to be a weekend of nice summer racing. 16 Nacra Class catamarans made the trip to Southport Yacht Club on the Gold Coast to enjoy our famous sunshine but ex-cyclone Olga had other plans and delivered challenging weather.
On Saturday, the first race got underway on time in a gentle southerly breeze around 12 knots. However, half-way through the race a rain squall with strong gusty winds hit and tested all but the most experienced sailors. The race committee was able to finish the race but then sent boats ashore to wait for calmer weather.
The rain eventually cleared and gave way to more stable conditions allowing the race committee to start race 2. Competitors got to explore the Broadwater as they raced up and down the Broadwater around Crab Island. Local knowledge appeared to pay and SYC sailor Guy Obren on his Nacra 162 won the day with a first race 1 and second in race 2 on corrected time. The second race was won by current Nacra 5.0 national champions and sponsors of the event Steve Curtis and Kerry Noyes from Fastway Couriers.
Sunday's races were held in a steady Easterly breeze and strong outgoing tides. These conditions made it difficult to lay a true windward course in the limited area of the Broadwater and so the race committee resorted to passage racing. On the second day of the event speed proved to be more important than local knowledge with Scott Sandilands and Leon McNeil from Humpybong Yacht Club winning both races overall and on corrected time.
Sandilands and McNeil's strong performance on day 2 was enough to secure first place overall on four points. Second place went to Guy Obren on seven points on count-back, tied with Ian and Helen Bowles from Richmond in third.
The Nacra Class SEQ Championships were held as part of Fastway Gold Coast Cat Week. Gold Coast Cat Week will continue until 04 February 2010.
by Southport Yacht Club
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