SB20 Nationals this weekend
Sandringham Yacht Club to host exciting sportsboat titlesCrews have gathered at the Sandringham Yacht Club today (October 25) for the start of the Brighton BMW SB20 National Championships.
The regatta should prove exciting for the skippers and crews and entertaining for spectators as the breeze is expected to hover around the 20-25 knot range for the first two days before backing off to 10-15 for the final races on Sunday. It’ll also be cool out on the water with expected temperatures in the range of 9-17.
"At least the Tasmanians will feel at home," said Australian SB20 class president Robert Jeffreys, himself an entrant. "On the positive side the forecast is for breeze for all three days."
The temperature is set to climb on the racetrack when 15 one-design sportsboats wind-up in the fresh conditions. The tempo will be frenetic early on and crews who adapt quickly, and avoid breakages, will be rewarded.
A moderate sea-state and likely 15-20 knots at the northern end of the Bay means at this point Race Officer Steve Aulich is confident of getting the sporty fleet away today.
The talk is that Ian Brown from Sydney and his top notch 470 crew is the form boat. Their level of experience shone through at last weekend’s Sail Sandy, Brown’s One Design Sailing dominating the warm-up regatta to beat the locals, Chris Dare’s Brighton BMW and Nick Bez’s
Local skipper Stephen Fries scrambled to find enough crew to join he and daughter Jess on WYSIWIG-V for the Australian title. Late call-ups Ben Frecheville, a keel-boat sailor, and lightweight Jack Furey, a 13-year-old Opti and Cadet sailor, making up the newly formed crew who will have to find their feet quickly having never sailed together before.
"We believe we have the youngest crewmember, the only female, and given our first time on the boat will be the first race, we would be the newest crew," said Fries.
Up to four races are scheduled per day which will certainly keep the crews busy.
Results will be posted daily on the Sandringham Yacht Club website www.syc.com.au.
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