Family duo win Easter regatta
The dad and daughter team won four of the nine races they competed in at the weekend.
FATHER and daughter team, Peter and Sarah-Ann Hall, were crowned the KZN champs this weekend at the Easter Regatta hosted by Point Yacht Club.
The pair raced in the Hobie 16 Regionals and notched up five wins, a second, third and a fourth place in the nine races held offshore of Durban over the three-day regatta. Their one race discard was a ninth position in the first race on day two.
“We had a bit of a setback with rudder failure but we bounced back nicely. Sarah-Ann and I were pretty zoned in from the start, concentrating hard on the water and every opportunity we had,” said the proud dad.
“The last time Sarah-Ann and I sailed together was in August last year up at the Northern Vaal Provincials. We managed to win that one too so we are having a good time on the water. Next up for us is the Hobie 16 Nationals in Port Elizabeth at the end of the month.”
Peter said, “This weekend was a great event, fun from start to finish. The wind was perfect on the first two days and the flat seas made for some fantastic sailing.”
In the small fleet, the stand out performance would have to be the ballie blue boat with Hugo Peligrini and Bill Ellens, the most experienced sailors on the water. The oldest sailor in the fleet, the 76-year-old Bill, said, “Durban is definitely the finest sailing venue in South Africa and what great sailing we had this weekend. The old ballies staggered through. We worked out we have a combined total of 186 years, my 76, Hugo’s 71 and our trusty steeds 40 years. Anything is possible if you really want it!”
Race officer for the event, Kevin Bingham, set a windward leeward course on the first day and fitted in four races in a steady 12 knot southerly breeze. On day two the fleet raced a sausage, triangle, sausage for the first three races, then changed to a windward leeward course to get in another two races on the day. The fifth and final race was shortened to two laps. Day three started with the dreaded AP flag, indicating that racing was postponed due to lack of wind and racing was abandoned just after lunch time.
This weekend the Keelers will set off for a long haul race in the build up to the Vasco da Gama Ocean Race on 26 April.
