2022 Victorian Sabre State Titles at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron

by Bruce Abbott 9 Mar 2022 20:11 NZDT 19-20 February 2022

Where would you find 90 one-design dinghies lining up for a series of five races? The answer is - at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron (BYS) on 19,20 February 2022, in perfect 12-15kt sailing conditions.

The breeze built during both afternoons and varied in direction keeping sailors on their toes. The course was well out from shore, away from the normal club course, maintaining similar tidal influence across the course and reducing 'local advantage'.

Close racing was the feature right throughout the fleet. At the front, a ding dong battle between experience in Adrian Finglas, and youth in Hamish Cowell, went right through to the last race where a matter of one placing could have changed the results. A fascinating discussion between Adrian and Bruce Abbott, President of SSAV of this last race can be seen here and here.

Adrian is a well-known international dinghy sailor with a host of world championships, Olympic representation and coaching. He has been a coach to many of the younger sailors who competed. Hamish is a Vic and NSW champion in the 4.7 Lasers and will compete in the Laser worlds in Portugal in August this year.

The top 10 positions showed that teenagers and early 20's have at last taken charge of this closely contested event. In third place came youth Angus McIntyre sailing his father's boat, followed by veterans Alister Danks who just pipped Gary McLennan on countback. Angus is current Vic Champion in Laser 4.7's and Gary is an international and Australian champion in multiple classes and a previous Vic Sabre champion. Four of the placings 6-10 were taken by the younger contingent.

The strength of youth sailing is a tribute to the training and ongoing coaching regime of BYS and of course the ready support of parents, many of whom have been or still are ongoing Sabre sailors. All the 40 Sabres that sail at the club were pressed into action.

As always there was a strong contingent of females of all ages, comprising 20% of entries. Alister's daughter Philippa Danks took the female's trophy followed by Michelle de Blaquiere and Samantha Batty.

Being an open Sabre regatta, despite travel restrictions we were fortunate to be joined by a representative from each of Tas, SA and WA states.

Talking to competitors about their experience of Sabres provided many clues as to why this class is so popular: an inexpensive dinghy well suited to local conditions; big fleets without the need to spend big money on international regattas; strong competition at all levels of experience, age and proficiency; the friendly, supportive and sharing culture of Sabre sailors; a boat that is easy to sail, but difficult to sail fast; the regattas are always well run and fun. Some vignettes of discussions with sailors can be seen here.

Competitors paid strong tributes to the Blairgowrie regatta team and to our hardworking and extremely competent Sabre Vic Secretary/Treasurer, Barry Eastgate.

The regatta concluded with a presentation of many trophies seen here. This covered a broad range of categories which allowed plenty of opportunity to take home a trophy. A great big fun regatta!

Overall Results:

Pos	Helm	Boat Name	Sail No	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1	Adrian Finglas	Hot Pursuit	2134	BRYC	1	2	1	1	‑7	5
2	Hamish Cowell	John Dick	2110	BYS	2	1	2	DSQ	8	13
3	Angus  McIntyre	Queens Bouleverd	1881	BYS	‑12	3	10	2	3	18
4	Alister  Danks	Darth	1756	BYS	10	‑12	6	4	1	21
5	Gary McLennan	SubLime	2072	BRYC	7	‑13	3	9	2	21
6	Alex Bolton	Zimmerframe	1866	BYS	8	‑15	4	6	5	23
7	Murray O'Brien	The Bridesmaid	2152	McCYC	5	‑14	5	7	13	30
8	Ethan O?Brien	Balance	1918	BYS	‑13	5	13	3	11	32
9	Hamish Bolton	Wayward Wind	142	BYS	11	10	8	5	‑12	34
10	Lucas James	Blue Rondo	1935	BYS	14	7	7	‑19	6	34
11	Chris Pritchard	Sabrage	2156	PRSC	4	6	‑25	11	17	38
12	Matt McCarthy	Rebel Yell	1729	BYS	18	8	‑21	8	4	38
13	Sam Backwell	Zest	1950	BYS	9	4	‑16	12	14	39
14	Geoff Smith	Should Know Better!	1895	BYS	3	9	‑26	DPI	15	43
15	Ed Warner	Artful Dodger	1834	BYS	15	11	9	10	‑33	45
16	Philippa Danks	Damn the Torpedoes!	2142	BYS	23	‑27	18	14	10	65
17	Callum Burns	Hindsight	2020	BYS	17	‑32	12	20	18	67
18	Russell Rooney	President Who Inhaled	2002	SYC	25	18	11	15	‑35	69
19	John Petschel	AquaHolic	2070	BYS	24	22	‑32	18	9	73
20	Mark Hughes	Lime & Tonic	2097	BYS	16	31	14	22	‑42	83
21	Randal Garnham	Selkie	2185	BRYC	20	20	15	28	‑32	83
22	Tom Warner	Swing Shift Mob	1992	BYS	6	21	‑44	32	31	90
23	Bruce Abbott	Out of Order	2171	BRYC	30	24	17	DPI	23	94
24	Michelle de Blaquiere	Can't Stop	2181	MMYC	‑34	23	28	16	29	96
25	William Manning	Slippery When Wet	1900	SBSC	36	26	19	‑37	16	97
26	Paul Smart	Crabman	1749	BYS	33	17	30	‑35	20	100
27	Andrew Graham	Crisis ? What Crisis ?	2050	BYS	21	‑46	20	23	41	105
28	Martin Kudnig	White Noise	2166	BYS	28	‑35	31	33	19	111
29	Samantha  Batty	Therapeutic	1854	BYS	31	19	‑36	26	36	112
30	Stephen Cowell	Frog in a Sock	2186	BYS	22	25	46	‑55	22	115
31	Jacqui Lawson	Knot My Problem	2035	BYS	‑52	30	23	36	28	117
32	Kiera Bates	Outawood	1893	BYS	‑37	34	33	30	21	118
33	Colin White	Yensid 11	1903	MSC	BFD	16	40	21	44	121
34	Barry Eastgate	Mobi	2178	MMYC	27	28	29	‑42	37	121
35	Lucy Townson	Hell bent	1740	IHYC	29	36	35	‑53	27	127
36	Matthew O'Brien	Serendipity	1845	BYS	50	‑53	22	27	30	129
37	Tony Creak	Fantzy Pantz	2048	IHYC	26	29	‑69	38	39	132
38	Peter Neil	Needle	2136	BYS	‑62	55	38	17	24	134
39	Liam Batty	LunaSea	1830	BYS	19	39	42	34	‑49	134
40	Simon Pluim	Home Before Dark	2068	BYS	38	45	27	25	‑50	135
41	Robert Evans	Unplugged	1829	BYS	44	37	‑48	24	43	148
42	Stephen Bradford	Bert	2175	LIND	51	33	24	41	DNC	149
43	Andrew Dix	Lyverbird	2001	IHYC	46	42	‑52	39	25	152
44	Jarka Kluth	Tactigal	1946	BRYC	32	38	37	45	‑47	152
45	Warren Smith	My Time	1978	MMYC	45	‑69	41	43	26	155
46	Barbara Lees	Yendys	1863	BYS	35	40	53	29	DNC	157
47	Fiona McCulloch	Escape	2066	BRYC	43	41	45	‑46	40	169
48	Geoffrey Geoffrey Dresser	Salty Dog	2054	BRYC	39	44	39	49	‑54	171
49	Ross Lloyd	BAHHRBRA	1861	ESC	47	‑49	47	44	34	172
50	Brent Frankcombe	Dreamboat	1585	RANYC	DNC	51	43	40	38	172
51	Jessica Batty	Pizzazz	1801	BYS	49	43	‑58	47	45	184
52	Sean O'Brien	Big Day Out	1611	BYS	40	64	DNC	51	51	206
53	Sara Lloyd‑Clarke	Slick	2044	BYS	59	47	DNC	48	52	206
54	Jonas Nilsson	Guest from North&West	2052	PDSC	41	59	DNC	52	65	217
55	Paul Stamp	Purple Zone	1867	ESC	56	‑61	57	58	48	219
56	Faye McKenzie	Boats 'n Hoes	1653	ASC	48	50	34	DNC	DNC	222
57	Mike Eising	Sirocco	2164	CYC	53	‑66	54	56	60	223
58	Orlando Yen	Rapier	1340	RBYC	DNC	68	55	50	57	230
59	Gerard Magner	Spirit of Place	1752	BYS	65	48	56	‑67	64	233
60	Andrew Jones	St Asaph	2129	MMYC	58	‑62	62	60	53	233
61	John Dixon	Sirius	2188	Apyc	66	‑78	51	59	59	235
62	Marcus Fakhry	Pinto	1730	BRYC	61	‑74	50	70	58	239
63	Rob Debenham	Dickie Knee	2177	MMYC	42	70	76	54	DNC	242
64	Erin Fitzpatrick	Just Fitz	1988	Bys	70	54	UFD	57	62	243
65	John Hutton	Sea‑N‑Blue 2	2114	MSC	64	‑65	63	62	55	244
66	Kurt Gysi	Scallywag	2090	BYS	60	56	59	69	‑70	244
67	Kirsten Binns Smith	Zither	1735	BYS	57	‑71	60	68	61	246
68	Oliver Zielezna	Red Storm	1662	McCYC	55	67	DNC	65	63	250
69	Stephen Magner	Whistler	1575	MSC	‑73	63	70	73	46	252
70	James Fordyce	Loitering with intent	1760	BYS	ZFP	52	72	63	66	253
71	Rod Cameron	Reel	1724	Cyc	‑79	79	64	61	56	260
72	Hannah Danks	Big Baloo	1892	BYS	‑78	58	65	72	69	264
73	Fiona Martin	Heaven too	1917	SBSC	‑72	72	61	64	67	264
74	Ian Gould	Sheet Musik	1831	MMYC	63	‑77	71	66	68	268
75	Wendy Wilson	Heart Beat	1959	SsYC	54	60	68	DNC	DNC	272
76	Peter Chipperfield	Shadow	1435	SBSC	SCP	‑76	66	71	71	278
77	Chris Clarke	Smitten	2163	MMYC	71	73	49	DNC	DNC	283
78	David O'Hara	Dark Horse	1889	ESC	69	‑82	67	74	73	283
79	Hayden Llewellyn	Bora Blue	2120	BYS	75	‑80	73	75	72	295
80	Luis Mata	Txipiroi	2189	BRYC	77	‑81	78	77	76	308
81	Richard Dovison	Jaffa	2118	SBSC	74	57	DNC	DNC	DNC	311
82	David Caruso	Unfinished	1327	MMYC	80	83	74	DNF	74	311
83	David Johnson	Excuse Me	1649	BYS	82	‑84	77	78	75	312
84	Pamela Webster	Aka'ula	1908	WSC	76	75	75	DNC	DNC	316
85	Chris Young	Tokoloshe	1609	MMYC	81	DNC	DNC	76	78	325
86	Simon Kudnig	White Knight	1809	BYS	DNC	DNF	79	DNF	77	336
87	Peter Atkinson	Zen	1632	MMYC	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNF	79	349
88	Andrew Taylor	Talking Sheep	1958	SBSC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	360
88	Graham Mason	Last Chance	2063	McCYC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	360