Race Day Saturday 19 November 2022
Tough Day on the River
Strong and gusty north-easterly winds of around 25 knots roughed up the fleet in the Combined Clubs Harbour Series racing conducted by Bellerive Yacht Club on Saturday. Several boats incurred gear damage and some of the quicker boats had wipe outs on the tight spinnaker reaches.
In the first race of the day for Group 1 Wayne Banks-Smith’s War Games took the win in all three handicap divisions with Matthew Keal’s Heatwave in second on PHS and Joint Custody, sailed by the Joint Custody Syndicate in third, both representing the host club.
The Calverts’ Intrigue took second place in Group 1 ORC and IRC divisions with Paul & Michelle Boutchard’s Young Magic and Drew Latham’s Whistler respectively completing the podiums.
Group 2 sailed a 16 nautical mile course and Justin Barr’s Rumbeat took the win in both PHS and ORC. Kevin Jacobson’s Hildr was second in ORC followed by Jim Thorpe’s Hydrotherapy. In PHS Bryan Walpole’s Invincible and Arrunga sailed by Andrew Parker made it a RYCT trifecta.
At the end of the 12 nautical mile Group 3 race BYC’s Steve Mannering’s Camlet Way took the outright with a win on line honours and in PHS. The consistent Innovator sailed by Ian Smith and Dean Aberle, also from BYC, took second with Jock Young’s Dragon Xanthos in third.
In the second Group 1 race, series leader Whistler came to the fore, winning ORC and IRC divisions and placing third in PHS. War Games enjoyed the second race with a second in PHS and IRC and a third in ORC. Brent McKay’s Jazz Player took PHS with series leader Heatwave in back in fourth. Intrigue finished second in ORC and third in IRC.
Words and Image: Nick Hutton
