GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Sailing races resumed at George Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) this past weekend after the break that allowed the club's successful entry at the Mossel Bay Interclub Regatta.
On Sunday 4 March only a very light, patchy southwesterly wind prevailed. It veered to the southeast briefly, before returning to the original direction.
Only two, shortened races could be completed when it became apparent that proceedings were too slow and there was little appetite for another race.
The junior fleet, comprising five Optimists, were sailing for the Farrell Trophy.
Thomas Lawa got the lead in the first race and held this to the end, in front of Kyle America. Further back, John Paul Kriel led from Tristan Boshoff.
In race two, Conrad Holm joined and was able to take the lead in this race. Lawa wasn’t far behind and threatened to overtake near the end, but then Holm got better wind to finish a minute ahead.
Trailing were America, Boshoff and Kriel.
In the senior fleet, it was Georgou Divaris on his Laser who was the master of the conditions, finishing far ahead of the rest in both races.
In race one, the Fireball of David Laing and Jacques Swart were only just able to stay ahead of the other Lasers in the light conditions.
Spread out behind were the Lasers of Charles Norman, Henry Paine and Bill Turner. Paine was the second Laser in race two, just ahead of Norman.
Overall for the Ma Wyatt Trophy, adding points from the first two races of this series in September, the winner was Turner.
Interclub Regatta win
The Mossel Bay Interclub Regatta held the weekend before was basically blown out on Saturday 24 February, but Sunday 25 February had a light southeasterly, building up as the day progressed.
One race was completed on Saturday, in a strong southwesterly gust coming over the hill behind the town.
Thomas Lawa got a first and second, to be the winner overall of the Farrell Trophy for the 2017/2018 season.
The fleet was called ashore, waiting for the wind to abate. It appeared to do so later and a second race was started, but then it quickly built up to over 30 knots and it had to be abandoned. Four races were completed on Sunday in a light southeasterly wind.
GLYC had four Optimists and a Tera Pro in the big fleet of 31 boats (greater than 1 200 rating), which had lots of Teras, supported by entrants from Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
The event also incorporated the Western Cape championships for the Tera Sport and Pro classes.
GLYC's Sean Vonk was the winner, with James Vonk in second place, Holm fourth, America eighth and Lawa came 13th. This performance secured the interclub win for GLYC. James Vonk is also the Western Cape Tera Pro champion.
Conrad Holm rounding the weather mark on his Optimist, with the GP14 of Tom and Lisl Barry ahead. Photos: Evelyn Osborne
The "less than 1 200 rating" fleet had 14 boats, nine from GLYC – seven Lasers and two Dabchicks.
Divaris won all four races on Sunday to be the convincing winner of this fleet. James Hellstrom got second place, Robyn Hellstrom fifth, Jonathan Rees sixth, Laing seventh, and Matthew de Villiers eighth. GLYC came out as the winner of this fleet as well. More info: www.glyc.org.za / Facebook/GLYC
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