NEWS
QLD State Championship
Great close racing for the Queensland States
15 February 2022

Fair Dinkum - Ben Leigh-Smith and crew Kelvin Holt and Steve Shale, winners of the Tai Pan Queensland Etchells State Champs
The Qld State Championships were held on the weekend 4/5 December 2021.
We managed to get 7 boats on the water, this included half of the current GC fleet and 2 boats from Royal Queensland. Unfortunately, interstate boats could not make it due to COVID border restrictions. However, 7 boats enjoyed some great close racing.
Day 1 racing was off-shore with 5-12 knot breezes and 1 m swells throughout the day. Great for Etchells sailing. With unsettled weather forecast for the Sunday, race control added a fourth race to the day to ensure we had enough races for a series. PHS and Class results were very close after the day's racing with RQYS’s Tag and Too Easy within a few points of SYC’s Fair Dinkum. Knot Easy was very chuffed to record their first ever ‘first' in a race for a State championships.
The presentation and sausage sizzle back at the foredeck at main beach was well attended with prizes from North Sails and wine from the GC Etchells fleet being awarded for the days results and for random draws.
Sunday proved to be as forecast, 20 knot winds with wind gusts expected to reach 30knots. After a fair bit of deliberation at the morning briefing, it was voted that racing would take place on the Broadwater in the deep hole. It proved to be a fantastic, tight race track. During the first race all 7 boats hitting the first downwind mark, at the same time lots of jostling, bumping and arguments about when overlaps occurred. Great fun.
The last race proved the forecasters right, starting in 20 Knots of breeze but on the final spinnaker run the fleet were sailing kites up, in 30 knots, flying home to the finish. Luckily no breakages but a lot of smiles on faces as the boats were surfing down-wind rocketing home. It was close racing with results not secured until the final race.
The State championship was won by SYC’S Fair Dinkum. Congratulations to the Ben Leigh-Smith and crew Kelvin Holt and Steve Shale.
Class results - Fair Dinkum First, Tag, Second and Knot Easy 3rd, Rebound 4th
Well done to the Southport Yacht Club for providing a great regatta. Well run and, apart from the disappearing sausages on the last day, well organised. Also, many thanks to our sponsors North Sails and Bosun’s Locker for supporting the event. Thank you also to Brisbane Fleet Captain Jason Hawkins for his assistance.
Check out the Facebook page as there are many images from the weekend.

Winners AUS1347 leading
LATEST EVENT NEWS
- TAG tops Etchells Winter Waterloo Cup on home waters 16 June 2022 Winter Waterloo Cup
- Lisa Rose wins Gold Coast and Australasian Etchells Championship 30 May 2022 Gold Coast Championship
- Rex Gorell Ford Victorian Etchells State Championship conclude in Geelong 16 March 2022 VIC State Championship
- Wooden Boats steal the show as Etchells are left without wind in Geelong 13 March 2022 VIC State Championship
- Shoulda Gone Left leads Etchells Victorian State Championship in Geelong 13 March 2022 VIC State Championship
- Tango takes Etchells Australian Championship 2022 6 March 2022 Australian Championship
- Tango takes the lead at Etchells Australian Championship after day two 5 March 2022 Australian Championship
- Lisa Rose on top after day one of Etchells Australian Championship 4 March 2022 Australian Championship
- First Tracks claim Etchells NSW State Championship with race to spare 21 February 2022 NSW State Championship
- Ups and downs but First Tracks stay on top at Etchells NSW State Championship 19 February 2022 NSW State Championship
- First Tracks running first after day one of Etchells NSW Championship 18 February 2022 NSW State Championship
- Etchells to bring colour to Sydney Harbour from Friday 17 February 2022 NSW State Championship