The 2024 Australian National Championship concluded on Thursday with the team on Magpie (Graeme Taylor, James Mayo & Richie Allanson) taking a decisive victory with a race to spare. However, the event was wide open into the final day of the regatta with three boats all realistic chances of winning on the last day.
Heading into the final day with 2 races scheduled Magpie held a 2-point lead over Flying High (Jeanne-Claude Strong, Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton & Erik Ryves) and a was further 4 points ahead of the Hong Kong team of Racer CC, Mark Thornborrow (Mike Huang, Malcolm Page, and Julian Plante).
In the end a 3rd place in race 8 for the Magpie team and a 16th for Flying High was enough for GT and his team to takeout the event. As always there was plenty of competition in the respective divisions with winners being:
- National Champion — Magpie (Graeme Taylor, James Mayo, Richie Allanson)
- Corinthian — Wobbegong 2 (Jamie McWilliam, Peter Austin, Ali Devlin) (HKG)
- Masters Helm — Flying High (Jeanne-Claude Strong, with Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Erik Ryves)
- Grand Masters — Great White Hunter (David Dunn, Sandy Higgins, Ben Morrison-Jack)
- Female Helm — Flying High (Jeanne-Claude Strong, with Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Erik Ryves)
- Corinthian Masters — Wobbegong 2 (Jamie McWilliam, Peter Austin, Ali Devlin)
- Corinthian Grand Masters — Thelastone (Steve Billingham, Adrian Roach, Todd Trevillion)
- Youth — The Archer (Jack Abbott, Jack Felsenthal, Hamish McKendrick, James McLennan)
Notwithstanding less than ideal wind conditions, the race committee managed to fit all 9 races in over the 4 days. The 33 competitors came from Victoria, South Australia, Gosford, Pittwater and Hong Kong. The fleet enjoyed a week of good sailing and post race social events including a regatta dinner on the Tuesday night. The regatta was regarded to be well run by competitors.
We were lucky to have excellent media coverage for this event with amazing drone and video footage provided by the team from AeroMedia. As usual none of these events can be held without supporting sponsors HillPDA (media), North Sails, Imagine Signage, Sail Racing Australia and New Zealand
The next regatta to be hosted by the Sydney Etchells Fleet is the Milson Silver Goblets, starting on the 29th of January and running until the 2nd of February.
Results
More photos and video
Daily News
Author: James Arnold — Sydney Fleet Captain
Video, photos, & drone: AeroMedia
Additional photos: Kylie Wilson
