The National 125 States at SoPYC
Saturday and Sunday Easter 2021
The video that was running downstairs from day one. Watch for the melee at the end.
Presentations
for the 125 States.
Sunday evening
I'll be brief, the wardroom was packed.
Everyone was there with a full representation of the club flags and their spices. Most of whom had fulfilled a role during the regatta. We found a quiet table on the side and let Andrew Tailor, chairman and MC fire up the crowd. A brief welcome to the assembled guests by Commodore John Midolo had the guests looking for more and Andrew let fly right off the mark. They were in a forgiving mood as I wasn't aware of the program for the evening. It took a short while for me to fire up the camera, but once we were under way all was good.
Congratulations to the winners and there was some nice gestures from the Seaton and Nicholas families who support trophies / spinnakers as prizes for the events. Lovely to see. Andrew was fare-welled by the assembled crowd and various bids were put in to enjoin the states championships to go to country centres and Andrew simply advised them to approach the hierarchy and put their offers forward. Well done to Emily Jones for her organisation of the event and I'm sure she will grow into her role as Centerboard captain as time passes. However her efforts were recognised with the presentation of the Rooke family award for achievement.
Many thanks for the opportunity to follow the 125's for the Easter Weekend and I'm sure that the next event will be just as exciting.
Enjoy the photos.
Everyone was there with a full representation of the club flags and their spices. Most of whom had fulfilled a role during the regatta. We found a quiet table on the side and let Andrew Tailor, chairman and MC fire up the crowd. A brief welcome to the assembled guests by Commodore John Midolo had the guests looking for more and Andrew let fly right off the mark. They were in a forgiving mood as I wasn't aware of the program for the evening. It took a short while for me to fire up the camera, but once we were under way all was good.
Congratulations to the winners and there was some nice gestures from the Seaton and Nicholas families who support trophies / spinnakers as prizes for the events. Lovely to see. Andrew was fare-welled by the assembled crowd and various bids were put in to enjoin the states championships to go to country centres and Andrew simply advised them to approach the hierarchy and put their offers forward. Well done to Emily Jones for her organisation of the event and I'm sure she will grow into her role as Centerboard captain as time passes. However her efforts were recognised with the presentation of the Rooke family award for achievement.
Many thanks for the opportunity to follow the 125's for the Easter Weekend and I'm sure that the next event will be just as exciting.
Enjoy the photos.
Day two
at the National 125 states
Sunday April the 4th
Easter eggs this time and a little later on the line as the need to get the Easter bunny rolling this morning before I came down to the club. So 0900 and on Heathcote the platform for the photographers this morning.
There was a breeze and despite all the foreboding it felt good. As of old it was going to get better before it went away and with a requested closing of the line at 1230 we were to try and get as many races in as possible.
The racing began with a course one and it was successfully negotiated by the fleet who were moving at a reasonable pace and the power players began to look hopeful. Just maybe we can have a good time. So they did as they soared over the course following the gusts as they played down one side or another. It was a pleasure to watch the locals come into their own and storm through the course intent on getting into first place.
RO Les was a kindly fellow and rang the changes with the courses, turning the races over in quick time and before long the writing on the wall. Race # 4 was to happen and it was clear that it would be the big one ( triangle sausage triangle). Only one or two had pulled out by then with broken gear ( or possibly surprise ) and away they went around 11.45 am with the champions well and truly set in place by then. But it was fun to watch them in a good breeze and the easterly had come to the party with a max of about 10 to 12 knots by the 4th race. Great racing pressure.
As we retired from the course to empty the cameras and put the boat away, we had time to pause and reflect. It could have been a 5 race regatta, but a little luck and a bit of initiative had the states enjoying 7 races. Fantastic.
Once again thanks to the volunteers/ the canteen and the on water crew. Without them the rock stars of the regatta would have been sailing around aimlessly. And to Blowhard.. many thanks Clive, it was good weekend on the water.
If you like the photos, please remember they are for sale .. 2 for $40 and 3 for $50
Enjoy
There was a breeze and despite all the foreboding it felt good. As of old it was going to get better before it went away and with a requested closing of the line at 1230 we were to try and get as many races in as possible.
The racing began with a course one and it was successfully negotiated by the fleet who were moving at a reasonable pace and the power players began to look hopeful. Just maybe we can have a good time. So they did as they soared over the course following the gusts as they played down one side or another. It was a pleasure to watch the locals come into their own and storm through the course intent on getting into first place.
RO Les was a kindly fellow and rang the changes with the courses, turning the races over in quick time and before long the writing on the wall. Race # 4 was to happen and it was clear that it would be the big one ( triangle sausage triangle). Only one or two had pulled out by then with broken gear ( or possibly surprise ) and away they went around 11.45 am with the champions well and truly set in place by then. But it was fun to watch them in a good breeze and the easterly had come to the party with a max of about 10 to 12 knots by the 4th race. Great racing pressure.
As we retired from the course to empty the cameras and put the boat away, we had time to pause and reflect. It could have been a 5 race regatta, but a little luck and a bit of initiative had the states enjoying 7 races. Fantastic.
Once again thanks to the volunteers/ the canteen and the on water crew. Without them the rock stars of the regatta would have been sailing around aimlessly. And to Blowhard.. many thanks Clive, it was good weekend on the water.
If you like the photos, please remember they are for sale .. 2 for $40 and 3 for $50
Enjoy
Day One
at the National 125 states
Saturday April 3rd.
Stuffed with hot cross buns and and extremely short of sleep, I piled into the car to make the 0800 briefing down at the club house to meet up with Clive Blowers my driver on the day.
It had a feel of heat in the air and it was already humid but more about that later. We had a decent bunch of sailors on the river bank with a few ex champions and a couple of hot shot 505 sailors ready to have some fun on the water in 125's.
The first request was to catch Andrew Tailor being walked down an enfilade of 125 sailors as he ends his presidency of the WA 125 group. Well done sir. The photos were in the social media's hands shortly after. PC Les Swinton had the racing under way with his race team well practiced in the manner though I do believe that the start boat had a surfeit of catering requirement for the number of people on the boat.
The first race was a course three with a fair breeze out of the sou east and it had the 125s away, but no hiking to speak of. This was good as it meant that it was all skill on the water with no power sailing. However it did mean that those without the light breezes skill set were going to linger at the back end. The race ended in fair time and the course was moved around a little to fit into the changing breezes.
Faced with a northerly the course was set and the race started then promptly thrown out the door by a change in the breeze.. Out of the west this time. So fire up the course and watch the entire fleet pour over the line for a general recall. Get the race going again and on a course two, they found their way up and down the line for a very slow race. Slow.. well cement would set quicker.
We abandoned ship to return to the dock and grabbed our lunches early in the afternoon.
The boats came in shortly afterwards and with no breeze to talk of, sailing didn't begin till 1430. How many races can we get in was the call as the clouds rolled in, the humidity increased and the breeze was fitful. But the starter was confident and with an easterly in evidence he fired off the course on a course 3. And abandoned it half way through the race. It was trying to rain throughout this period and it was muggy.
We were running out of time and up sprung a southerly with a hint of the east. That will do and the course was set with a course three offered. "Hey they were hiking" was the comment and they soared up to the top mark, around the wing and then to the bottom. Up to the top again and still in close formation. Gee this was great racing. But the run down the centre had us wondering as they closed on the bottom mark. Log jam material and sure enough a complete bollocks of a rounding as twenty boats tried to fit into the space that five would be crowded in. As Clive said... all you had to do was go around the outside as one or two did. They picked up places aplenty.
We went home after that.. it was to be the last race and the good sailors would still make the best of it but gosh, maybe they didn't all have to try to fit into the same spot.
Thanks to the volunteers and the canteen who fed us as well as the club sailing administrator Scott,who has to put up all the photos. Poor fellow.
Back again tomorrow and remember that the images are for sale. Two for $40 and Three for $50
It had a feel of heat in the air and it was already humid but more about that later. We had a decent bunch of sailors on the river bank with a few ex champions and a couple of hot shot 505 sailors ready to have some fun on the water in 125's.
The first request was to catch Andrew Tailor being walked down an enfilade of 125 sailors as he ends his presidency of the WA 125 group. Well done sir. The photos were in the social media's hands shortly after. PC Les Swinton had the racing under way with his race team well practiced in the manner though I do believe that the start boat had a surfeit of catering requirement for the number of people on the boat.
The first race was a course three with a fair breeze out of the sou east and it had the 125s away, but no hiking to speak of. This was good as it meant that it was all skill on the water with no power sailing. However it did mean that those without the light breezes skill set were going to linger at the back end. The race ended in fair time and the course was moved around a little to fit into the changing breezes.
Faced with a northerly the course was set and the race started then promptly thrown out the door by a change in the breeze.. Out of the west this time. So fire up the course and watch the entire fleet pour over the line for a general recall. Get the race going again and on a course two, they found their way up and down the line for a very slow race. Slow.. well cement would set quicker.
We abandoned ship to return to the dock and grabbed our lunches early in the afternoon.
The boats came in shortly afterwards and with no breeze to talk of, sailing didn't begin till 1430. How many races can we get in was the call as the clouds rolled in, the humidity increased and the breeze was fitful. But the starter was confident and with an easterly in evidence he fired off the course on a course 3. And abandoned it half way through the race. It was trying to rain throughout this period and it was muggy.
We were running out of time and up sprung a southerly with a hint of the east. That will do and the course was set with a course three offered. "Hey they were hiking" was the comment and they soared up to the top mark, around the wing and then to the bottom. Up to the top again and still in close formation. Gee this was great racing. But the run down the centre had us wondering as they closed on the bottom mark. Log jam material and sure enough a complete bollocks of a rounding as twenty boats tried to fit into the space that five would be crowded in. As Clive said... all you had to do was go around the outside as one or two did. They picked up places aplenty.
We went home after that.. it was to be the last race and the good sailors would still make the best of it but gosh, maybe they didn't all have to try to fit into the same spot.
Thanks to the volunteers and the canteen who fed us as well as the club sailing administrator Scott,who has to put up all the photos. Poor fellow.
Back again tomorrow and remember that the images are for sale. Two for $40 and Three for $50
Every time I review the 125's I still have to go back to the one fabulous shot of a younger Emily Jones not quite in control of her boat and the resultant heel was enough to make me gasp when I looked at the shots as they came out of the camera. It looked like this!
However, I don't think I will get so lucky again. The weekend will be a lot quieter this time around and we have light winds to play with. However that brings out the challenges for all the skippers and apparently we have a variety of subsets to play with. A JaM section, a veterans section, an all female boat section (yes five of them) and of course we have the clubs break up to keep the rivalry fresh.
I do recognize a number of starters from the previous time I was invited to photograph them and there are a number of "older" young men who drive bigger and nastier boats. They have just snaffled a 125 for the weekends sailing.
I took the opportunity to call down on Friday and snaffle a few shots of people setting up and measuring rigs etc and even saw a 125 coming in from the water. Apparently everyone had been out already.
Enjoy the images. And yes, images are for sale with 2 for $40 or 3 for $50
I do recognize a number of starters from the previous time I was invited to photograph them and there are a number of "older" young men who drive bigger and nastier boats. They have just snaffled a 125 for the weekends sailing.
I took the opportunity to call down on Friday and snaffle a few shots of people setting up and measuring rigs etc and even saw a 125 coming in from the water. Apparently everyone had been out already.
Enjoy the images. And yes, images are for sale with 2 for $40 or 3 for $50