The Little Wheel is one of the oldest match racing
tournaments on the Swan river.
Started with a friendly luncheon decision one afternoon, the Little Wheel has been the germinator of some of the finest match racing seen on the Swan river. Many of the fleets of the river were represented and at one stage five or six hundred people were seen celebrating the night away.
Recently used as a precursor to the Warren Jones Youth Regatta, it has been revamped into
an inter-class match racing series at South of Perth Yacht Club.
The Little Wheel 2016
This is again one of those periods where I'm time short, but even then the thought of 8 teams match racing is enough to drag me down to the club to enjoy the racing.
This year we have some seriously exciting stuff going on with Lachy Gilmour going head to head with Matt Jerwood and Will Boulden is no slouch as well. Amongst the others we have Mark Spearman and Ethan Prieto- Low both giving it a try along with Matt Lingard and Doug Campbell. We also have a visitor from Queensland, Annie Eastgate, who is one of the gun radial sailors from the north east coast of Oz. I wonder if she's picked up a few of our radial sailors to give her a hand. No matter, with 8 teams racing they are going for morning starts and I'll be there as long as I can. Keep tuned as some of these guys and girls may be going on to the Warren Jones starting in February.
Wednesday the 27th of January
My gosh!
On a easterly full of swirling gusts and calms, the eight teams of Aussie sailors went neck to neck for the first of the round robins on the water within hailing distance of the SoPYC club house. Just a quick walk down jetty one took us onto the playing field where RO Les Swinton had the regatta in full swing. Even when they sent the Wednesday afternoon sailors away, it was a momentary distraction and the racing continued.
As one of the Wednesday sailors I was only able to grab a few seconds to take an image or two, but having a chat to some of the sailors in the bar afterwards, it was clear that they had enjoyed the day.
Matt Jerwood was in control on the day, with Lachy Gilmour pushing at every turn, losing percentage on a protest during the round robin. Such is life and every helm has that feeling as he/she wins or loses the flight. However with Matt Jerwood ahead on the first round; three teams have second spot.. Lachy G , Will Boulden and Mark Spearman.
Annie Eastgate of Queensland is a cool fish. A radial sailor with good notices, she has brought her own team over to WA and only needs to learn the breezes on the Swan. I wish her luck. Along with Annie, Ethan Prieto-Low shares the same spot at 29% and then Doug Campbell and Matt Lingard are waiting to jump upward.
I'll be back on Thursday, but I'll be tardy with the images... so sorry.
This year we have some seriously exciting stuff going on with Lachy Gilmour going head to head with Matt Jerwood and Will Boulden is no slouch as well. Amongst the others we have Mark Spearman and Ethan Prieto- Low both giving it a try along with Matt Lingard and Doug Campbell. We also have a visitor from Queensland, Annie Eastgate, who is one of the gun radial sailors from the north east coast of Oz. I wonder if she's picked up a few of our radial sailors to give her a hand. No matter, with 8 teams racing they are going for morning starts and I'll be there as long as I can. Keep tuned as some of these guys and girls may be going on to the Warren Jones starting in February.
Wednesday the 27th of January
My gosh!
On a easterly full of swirling gusts and calms, the eight teams of Aussie sailors went neck to neck for the first of the round robins on the water within hailing distance of the SoPYC club house. Just a quick walk down jetty one took us onto the playing field where RO Les Swinton had the regatta in full swing. Even when they sent the Wednesday afternoon sailors away, it was a momentary distraction and the racing continued.
As one of the Wednesday sailors I was only able to grab a few seconds to take an image or two, but having a chat to some of the sailors in the bar afterwards, it was clear that they had enjoyed the day.
Matt Jerwood was in control on the day, with Lachy Gilmour pushing at every turn, losing percentage on a protest during the round robin. Such is life and every helm has that feeling as he/she wins or loses the flight. However with Matt Jerwood ahead on the first round; three teams have second spot.. Lachy G , Will Boulden and Mark Spearman.
Annie Eastgate of Queensland is a cool fish. A radial sailor with good notices, she has brought her own team over to WA and only needs to learn the breezes on the Swan. I wish her luck. Along with Annie, Ethan Prieto-Low shares the same spot at 29% and then Doug Campbell and Matt Lingard are waiting to jump upward.
I'll be back on Thursday, but I'll be tardy with the images... so sorry.
Friday the 29th of January
Sorry to say I spent Thursday photographing the new M32 at the club.
Friday....
Once again I get to see the battle on the water between the finalists, but only part of the way..... We're still sailing on an Easterly and the gusts are a little less pronounced than last year. Or maybe the skill level has risen...what ever.
The parting of the ways has occurred and the top four teams have been selected. Lachie Gilmour, Matt Jerwood, Will Boulden and Mark Spearman have self selected while the other teams are taking time to reflect on the fact that they didn't make it through. Good to see Matt Linguard give it a good shot in the second round robin, 4 in a row isn't bad at all. Perhaps next year? Also, seen under the Start box was Wally Jorgenson, at 93 he is a grand master sailor of the club and he was watching Nathan and Grant Box. These young men have been knocking around the centre board section for a while now and have recently started to sail on Naughty Black Shorts ( a Sydney 32 ). They were seen out on both the Lingard and Jerwood teams from SoPYC and I believe that one if not both had a ride on one of the M32s now resting at SoPYC.
But these photo's are really about two Royal Freshwater Bay YC teams battling it out, with Lachie and Will going for it, hammer and tongs and a brief look at Matt Jerwood and Mark Spearman under pressure.
The results were not as I'd hoped and Lachie G got up, defeating Matt Jerwood 3-1 in the finals and Mark Spearman rolled fellow Freshie sailor Will Boulden in the petit finals.
Enjoy the images.
Friday....
Once again I get to see the battle on the water between the finalists, but only part of the way..... We're still sailing on an Easterly and the gusts are a little less pronounced than last year. Or maybe the skill level has risen...what ever.
The parting of the ways has occurred and the top four teams have been selected. Lachie Gilmour, Matt Jerwood, Will Boulden and Mark Spearman have self selected while the other teams are taking time to reflect on the fact that they didn't make it through. Good to see Matt Linguard give it a good shot in the second round robin, 4 in a row isn't bad at all. Perhaps next year? Also, seen under the Start box was Wally Jorgenson, at 93 he is a grand master sailor of the club and he was watching Nathan and Grant Box. These young men have been knocking around the centre board section for a while now and have recently started to sail on Naughty Black Shorts ( a Sydney 32 ). They were seen out on both the Lingard and Jerwood teams from SoPYC and I believe that one if not both had a ride on one of the M32s now resting at SoPYC.
But these photo's are really about two Royal Freshwater Bay YC teams battling it out, with Lachie and Will going for it, hammer and tongs and a brief look at Matt Jerwood and Mark Spearman under pressure.
The results were not as I'd hoped and Lachie G got up, defeating Matt Jerwood 3-1 in the finals and Mark Spearman rolled fellow Freshie sailor Will Boulden in the petit finals.
Enjoy the images.
The Little Wheel 2015
FRIDAY 16th of Jan
For the third time I wandered down, severely short of time as usual, but managed to get a look at the clash in the semi finals between Sam and Lachie. On the first beat up, one of those two (I think it was Sam) managed to get caught on the bank in between Heathcote Dolphin and the channel markers....only a touch, but enough to give the other some encouragement. The photo sequence following is of the chase by Sam of Lachie and his pulling him in at the top mark and then out sailing him down hill. The last photos in the sequence are of Matt going out to tackle Will Boulden which he did successfully.
In the final between Matt and Sam Gilmour, the results were a trifle disappointing, but accidents do happen and a foul launch of a kite is never a nice thing to have. Two is heart rending. The respect of the two skippers for each other has been fostered on the international campaigns that both have been on over the last year and the skill level in the core teams just keeps on growing. In the Australian Match Racing Championships being held at SoPYC next week we will see the same six teams, plus another six to really pump up the racing. Hope that the weather is good.
For the third time I wandered down, severely short of time as usual, but managed to get a look at the clash in the semi finals between Sam and Lachie. On the first beat up, one of those two (I think it was Sam) managed to get caught on the bank in between Heathcote Dolphin and the channel markers....only a touch, but enough to give the other some encouragement. The photo sequence following is of the chase by Sam of Lachie and his pulling him in at the top mark and then out sailing him down hill. The last photos in the sequence are of Matt going out to tackle Will Boulden which he did successfully.
In the final between Matt and Sam Gilmour, the results were a trifle disappointing, but accidents do happen and a foul launch of a kite is never a nice thing to have. Two is heart rending. The respect of the two skippers for each other has been fostered on the international campaigns that both have been on over the last year and the skill level in the core teams just keeps on growing. In the Australian Match Racing Championships being held at SoPYC next week we will see the same six teams, plus another six to really pump up the racing. Hope that the weather is good.
THURSDAY 15th Jan
The incentive to head down and watch the racing was there again and the south westerly was in and blowing hard. Up in the Start box we could see the course and as we prepared for the start, the AP went up with instructions to the competitors to put a reef into the their mains. Curiously they allowed the use of spinnakers which was I guess allowable at the time with the breeze solidly in at 20 knots and early in the day gusting to 24 knots. An adjustment to the course to allow for the breeze swinging more into the South took up more time and I had to leave before the racing began in earnest. However I had a bit of fun chatting to people around the club and watching the first dashes up and down the new track. It was clear that some teams had it and others were still in the formative mode. Even a bear away set can show you how prepared a team is and the top teams had their poles up and the team ready to bring the pole back and get the kite up quickly. Others were still thinking about it as they hit the corner.
You'll have to go to the club website to see what happened on the day as Will Boulden pulled a huge broach and managed to shred a spinnaker in doing so. Bernie Kaaks managed to get away from his role as GM at YWA for the series and was carrying a camera. Well done Bernie.... But seriously the wind was rising all the time and there was a third alternative that I have seen in the SI 's and that was jib and reefed main alone. I wonder whether they chose to take that option later in the day.
Scoring. Well Matt has been beaten in RR two by Sam Gilmour, who was then beaten by his bro Lachy. I'd love to hear the conversation at the dinner table at the Gilmour house. But both round robins have been sailed and with slightly less breeze, it may be a better day on the water on Friday. Unfortunately we won't see Richard Maher and Andrew Fowlie who will be dropped at this stage, but they will come back stronger next year in one form or another.
Results may be found here.
http://www.sopyc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Little-Wheel-2015-Results.pdf
Enjoy the images.
The incentive to head down and watch the racing was there again and the south westerly was in and blowing hard. Up in the Start box we could see the course and as we prepared for the start, the AP went up with instructions to the competitors to put a reef into the their mains. Curiously they allowed the use of spinnakers which was I guess allowable at the time with the breeze solidly in at 20 knots and early in the day gusting to 24 knots. An adjustment to the course to allow for the breeze swinging more into the South took up more time and I had to leave before the racing began in earnest. However I had a bit of fun chatting to people around the club and watching the first dashes up and down the new track. It was clear that some teams had it and others were still in the formative mode. Even a bear away set can show you how prepared a team is and the top teams had their poles up and the team ready to bring the pole back and get the kite up quickly. Others were still thinking about it as they hit the corner.
You'll have to go to the club website to see what happened on the day as Will Boulden pulled a huge broach and managed to shred a spinnaker in doing so. Bernie Kaaks managed to get away from his role as GM at YWA for the series and was carrying a camera. Well done Bernie.... But seriously the wind was rising all the time and there was a third alternative that I have seen in the SI 's and that was jib and reefed main alone. I wonder whether they chose to take that option later in the day.
Scoring. Well Matt has been beaten in RR two by Sam Gilmour, who was then beaten by his bro Lachy. I'd love to hear the conversation at the dinner table at the Gilmour house. But both round robins have been sailed and with slightly less breeze, it may be a better day on the water on Friday. Unfortunately we won't see Richard Maher and Andrew Fowlie who will be dropped at this stage, but they will come back stronger next year in one form or another.
Results may be found here.
http://www.sopyc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Little-Wheel-2015-Results.pdf
Enjoy the images.
WEDNESDAY 14th Jan
Again I'm a little pressed for time, but the incentive to watch good match racing is overwhelming.
I was actually sailing today, but it didn't stop me from getting the trusty 300 mm lens out and catching a few images as the boys and girls were warming up. I'm looking forward to watching the Redline Racing team, whom I' followed for the last couple of years as they went through their formative process. Matt's pretty focused and he's brought together a solid team. Rumour has it that he got through the first day un touched, but since I've not seen the results.....? The Gilmour influence is there and I'm sure that Sam has the family touch. Will Boulden was blooded last year so he's had the time to put together a well formed team. Just stay cool Will:-).
Saw Annabelle Davies sitting on the back of a Bakewell 8 . She has had the opportunity to ride with Chris Steele for the last two years in the W Jones. May be next year she'll be driving. She can get round on a 29er all right.
Richard Maher has assembled a team of Laser sailors to have a crack and good on him, We saw what Tristan Brown did couple of years ago in the W. Jones. Pushed a few big sailors to the limit and had a solid laser group on board.
However these are early days and the team will need to jell as they work to become that syncopated team that is so well expressed by Dave Gilmour's team.
These are the first day. Enjoy.
Again I'm a little pressed for time, but the incentive to watch good match racing is overwhelming.
I was actually sailing today, but it didn't stop me from getting the trusty 300 mm lens out and catching a few images as the boys and girls were warming up. I'm looking forward to watching the Redline Racing team, whom I' followed for the last couple of years as they went through their formative process. Matt's pretty focused and he's brought together a solid team. Rumour has it that he got through the first day un touched, but since I've not seen the results.....? The Gilmour influence is there and I'm sure that Sam has the family touch. Will Boulden was blooded last year so he's had the time to put together a well formed team. Just stay cool Will:-).
Saw Annabelle Davies sitting on the back of a Bakewell 8 . She has had the opportunity to ride with Chris Steele for the last two years in the W Jones. May be next year she'll be driving. She can get round on a 29er all right.
Richard Maher has assembled a team of Laser sailors to have a crack and good on him, We saw what Tristan Brown did couple of years ago in the W. Jones. Pushed a few big sailors to the limit and had a solid laser group on board.
However these are early days and the team will need to jell as they work to become that syncopated team that is so well expressed by Dave Gilmour's team.
These are the first day. Enjoy.
The Little Wheel 2014
Congratulations to Matt Jerwood and his crew of Luke Morrison, Alex Landwehr and Mark Whittington.
A solidly sailed regatta with very few mistakes to blemish the three days. Sailed in a wicked Easterly that tested all the teams, Matt and his team have come through with considerable aplomb. Taking three straight races from Tristan Brown was not going to be easy and in this sort of pressure, it was hard work for all. All those after uni training days paid off as they slammed their way through the round robins without defeat and then cleaned up the semi's defeating New Zealander Chris Staub in the process.
Owing to prior commitments, I couldn't get to the Little Wheel until Friday, but the excitement had been building for the last two days. Matt Jerwood had swept all before him and had even rolled Tristan Brown in the round robins. Amazing stuff.
Admittedly Brown had been having trouble with his down winds following a gianormous nose dive in-between races as he came back to the start line. Reportedly he threw up a spinnaker to get there rapidly and then found himself with the nose of his BW8 buried in the water. Instant broach and a shredded headsail. Two men over board as well. After picking them up he continued on his way, sailing well to defeat Will Boulden of FSC in the semis. On the other side of the semi's, Jerwood took NZ's Chris Staub to task and took him out as well in two races.
Other competitors in the Little Wheel that did not make it up were rookies Sam Monkhouse and Conor Nicolas of SoPYC and American Chris Poole of Riptide racing, who like Chris Staub had entered the Little Wheel to get a feel of the Swan river prior to the Warren Jones.
A note:
Normally sailed on the prevalent seabreeze from the south west, this regatta was sailed in gusty easterlies of 15 knots or so , pushing the course into the Canning River and the gusts rolling off the freeway were punching through at 20 knots or better. For most of the regatta, they were sailing under a jib and main with spinnaker and it was seat of your pants stuff for the 4 or 5 man crews as they took off in the gusts. If you view the tussle between the yellow and red spinnakers ( Boulden and Staub ) in the petit finals as they fought to retain control on the downwind ride toward the mark, you might wonder how they remained up right.
Enjoy the images
A solidly sailed regatta with very few mistakes to blemish the three days. Sailed in a wicked Easterly that tested all the teams, Matt and his team have come through with considerable aplomb. Taking three straight races from Tristan Brown was not going to be easy and in this sort of pressure, it was hard work for all. All those after uni training days paid off as they slammed their way through the round robins without defeat and then cleaned up the semi's defeating New Zealander Chris Staub in the process.
Owing to prior commitments, I couldn't get to the Little Wheel until Friday, but the excitement had been building for the last two days. Matt Jerwood had swept all before him and had even rolled Tristan Brown in the round robins. Amazing stuff.
Admittedly Brown had been having trouble with his down winds following a gianormous nose dive in-between races as he came back to the start line. Reportedly he threw up a spinnaker to get there rapidly and then found himself with the nose of his BW8 buried in the water. Instant broach and a shredded headsail. Two men over board as well. After picking them up he continued on his way, sailing well to defeat Will Boulden of FSC in the semis. On the other side of the semi's, Jerwood took NZ's Chris Staub to task and took him out as well in two races.
Other competitors in the Little Wheel that did not make it up were rookies Sam Monkhouse and Conor Nicolas of SoPYC and American Chris Poole of Riptide racing, who like Chris Staub had entered the Little Wheel to get a feel of the Swan river prior to the Warren Jones.
A note:
Normally sailed on the prevalent seabreeze from the south west, this regatta was sailed in gusty easterlies of 15 knots or so , pushing the course into the Canning River and the gusts rolling off the freeway were punching through at 20 knots or better. For most of the regatta, they were sailing under a jib and main with spinnaker and it was seat of your pants stuff for the 4 or 5 man crews as they took off in the gusts. If you view the tussle between the yellow and red spinnakers ( Boulden and Staub ) in the petit finals as they fought to retain control on the downwind ride toward the mark, you might wonder how they remained up right.
Enjoy the images
The Little Wheel 2013
Started with a friendly luncheon decision one afternoon, the Little Wheel has been the germinator of some of the finest match racing seen on the Swan river. Recently revamped and given go-fast boats, the Little Wheel is a precurssor to the Warren Jones tournament that picks the best youth teams from Australaisia and sends them off to the Monsoon Cup .
This year we have been blessed with good sea breezes and the day started with a steady blast from the South West ( around 220 degrees) and held at that point with 18 to 20 knots as a base line for the bullets that moved down either side of the course. As the day progressed, the breeze clocked south until by 1830 hrs it was almost a southerly. It was a little edgy for some of the sailors and a wise decision was made after the first two flights and spinnakers were removed from the armoury, but not before the sailmaker was called in for repairs to at least 4 of them. Problems with repairs to the jib on one boat forced a drop of a pair for the last two flights, but this should be made up on the Friday.
The maintenance boat was kept busy, but for minor items only and it was left to Sam Gilmour to have the team event when he had a man over board just prior to the start and with less than two minutes, returned to pick him up and sail the race succesfully. A good thing that Alex can swim.
Enjoy the images .
This year we have been blessed with good sea breezes and the day started with a steady blast from the South West ( around 220 degrees) and held at that point with 18 to 20 knots as a base line for the bullets that moved down either side of the course. As the day progressed, the breeze clocked south until by 1830 hrs it was almost a southerly. It was a little edgy for some of the sailors and a wise decision was made after the first two flights and spinnakers were removed from the armoury, but not before the sailmaker was called in for repairs to at least 4 of them. Problems with repairs to the jib on one boat forced a drop of a pair for the last two flights, but this should be made up on the Friday.
The maintenance boat was kept busy, but for minor items only and it was left to Sam Gilmour to have the team event when he had a man over board just prior to the start and with less than two minutes, returned to pick him up and sail the race succesfully. A good thing that Alex can swim.
Enjoy the images .
The Second Day of the Little Wheel
Starts off as a south easterly and the sailing was focused up and down the Canning River until , thank god the seabreeze wandered in and started to get the river a little busy. The need for the day was to get the round robin finished and get into the petit and finals. Easily done you say, but when the breeze is making up it's own mind, Race Officer Les Swinton was looking for a best solution. The South Easterly built up a little and the round robin was run to completion and the 4 finalists were chosen.
An interesting problem, 3 of the 4 finalists had 4 wins each. So a sail off ensued with Matt Jerwood rounding up the four finalists. Steve Thomas and Tristan Brown were the finalists and Sam Gilmour and Matt Jerwood went up for the petit finals. In a steady seabreeze with a sudden death flight, the first named of both finals came through .. the only question was whether Tristan would roll Steve and it was not to be. Sam Gilmour had the advantage of big bro Lachy on the main and a good source of tactical knowledge at hand. However it is possible that Matt may put together a stronger team from the players of the day and will look forward to the Warren Jones in a week or so's time. I can remember seeing him on the back of a Foundation 36 a couple of years ago . I think he's biding his time.
An interesting problem, 3 of the 4 finalists had 4 wins each. So a sail off ensued with Matt Jerwood rounding up the four finalists. Steve Thomas and Tristan Brown were the finalists and Sam Gilmour and Matt Jerwood went up for the petit finals. In a steady seabreeze with a sudden death flight, the first named of both finals came through .. the only question was whether Tristan would roll Steve and it was not to be. Sam Gilmour had the advantage of big bro Lachy on the main and a good source of tactical knowledge at hand. However it is possible that Matt may put together a stronger team from the players of the day and will look forward to the Warren Jones in a week or so's time. I can remember seeing him on the back of a Foundation 36 a couple of years ago . I think he's biding his time.