Winners are grinners as Sail Sydney ends on a high
by David Sygall 17 Dec 2017 02:20 PST
Final day action from Sail Sydney © Robin Evans
There will be plenty of sailors sleeping soundly after a busy but thoroughly enjoyable Sail Sydney 2017 regatta wound up at Woollahra Sailing Club on Sunday.
Following a highly competitive Olympic Classes section, which ended on Thursday, nearly 400 intrepid sailors across 22 fleets and 15 countries pulled on their wetsuits and took to the spectacular waters of Sydney Harbour.
Three days later the medallists were revealed, including Nacra 15 pair Ashleigh Swadling and George Morton, who produced a big last day performance to earn victory.
"We didn't have a great start," George said of the final decisive race.
"First of all, we didn't know where the first mark was because it was kind of blended in with the houses... We were in sixth, I think, and decided to follow the fleet as much as we could and gain in our speed... hoping for something to happen."
It did happen and they finished with a first placing to go with their earlier second.
Among the other winners was Jack Ferguson, who claimed the Laser 4.7 class, even though it's not his usual event.
"I'm off to Perth for the 420 nationals and then on to the 420 worlds," Jack said.
"I mainly sail a 420, but my 420 is currently in a container, so I thought I may as well do this regatta."
29er champions Annabelle Davies and Madison Woodward are heading to the Worlds in Hong Kong on December 28 and had a good workout to get used to it, with crew Maddy saying her job a lot of the time at Sail Sydney was to watch for traffic on the harbour.
Lara Quigley and Charlotte Toll didn't have quite the same problem, competing in the Pacer.
"The Pacer is not the fastest boat in the world but we sail them because that's what we sail for school," Lara said.
Lara said she started sailing at age 6, through her father, who was "big into sailing". "I kind of got pushed into a Manly Junior, I developed a passion for it and went from there."
At the presentation ceremony, which was attended by Rio Olympics Nacra 17 silver medallist Jason Waterhouse, Declan Brennan, Australian Sailing's Regional Manager NSW and ACT, thanked the event's partners, including Transport for NSW, Maritime NSW, Sport and Recreation, Lejen Marine, Zhik, BIA and NB Sail Sports. Brennan also thanked host Woollahra Sailing Club, partner clubs – Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Drummoyne Sailing Club and Middle Harbour Sailing Club - and the many volunteers who made the event possible.
Placegetters in each class
Laser 4.7:
Jack Ferguson - RSYS/WSC (NSW)
Boston Cortis - RSYC (NSW)
Ryan Littlechild - WSC,DBSC,RSYS (NSW)
29er:
Annabelle Davies and Madison Woodward - RFBYC/ PDSC (WA)
Archie Cropley and Simon Murnaghan - MHYC (NSW)
Lachlan Brewer and Max Paul - MHYC (NSW)
Nacra 15:
Ashleigh Swadling and George Morton - RQYS/SYC (Qld)
Jake Liddell and Emma Jones - B16ftSC (NSW)
Tom Dawson and Sarah Hoffman - Belmont 16s (NSW)
Pacer:
Lara Quigley and Charlotte Toll - WSC (NSW)
Georgina Hallam and Penelope Hallam - WSC (NSW)
Victoria Adams and Alexander Adams - WSC (NSW)
Tasar:
James Burman and Tara Burman - GRSC (NSW)
Gary Ratcliffe and Robyn Ratcliffe - GRSC (NSW)
Harley Kruse and Matt Whitnall - WSC (NSW)
Flying 11:
Jake Barnabas and Tyler Dransfield - Manly 16s (NSW)
William Horin and Tomas Armistead - LC12'SSC (NSW)
Alex Hart and Sophie Hart - Manly 16s (NSW)
Manly Juniors:
Angus Stewart and Jack Robbins - HKSC (NSW)
Hugo Kemp and Ollie Barrett - HKSC (NSW)
Isaac Robbins and Mia Huntington - HKSC (NSW)
Int. Cadet:
Natasha Nisbet and Zac Nisbet - MHYC (NSW)
Ella Portia Gray and Ben Harrington - MHYC (NSW)
Gianni Watson and Ethan McFarlane - MHYC (NSW)
Sabot:
Cameron Burt - LMYC (NSW)
Sophie O'Loughlin - VA12SC (NSW)
William Burt - LMYC (NSW)
Open Bic:
Evie Saunders - MYC (NSW)
Jack Reid - MYC (NSW)
Sam Blair - MYC (NSW)
Optimist Open:
Gold Fleet
Daniel Links - RPAYC (NSW)
Fletcher Walters - RPAYC (NSW)
Blake Wilson - RPAYC (NSW)
Silver Fleet:
Daniel Links – RPAYC (NSW)
Fletcher Walters – RPAYC (NSW)
Blake Wilson - Southport/RQYS (Qld)
Optimist Intermediate:
Henry Myers - WSC Scots (NSW)
Ben Crafoord - WSC (NSW)
Hannah Kernohan - GRSC (NSW)
Bic Techno:
Grae Morris - WSC (NSW)
Matthew Quinlan - HHSC (NSW)
Amelia Quinlan - HHSC / LK (NSW)
RS:X Men:
Harry Walker - RQYS (Qld)
RS:X Women:
Emma Baillie - RQYS (Qld)
Melanie Webb - Balmoral Sailing Club (NSW)
Samantha Costin - RQYS (Qld)