Team Red G takes the J22 provincials
Team Red G took home the win in the Amtec J22 Mpumalanga Provincials.
The yacht race was hosted at Witbank Yacht and Aquatic Club from May 25 to 27.
The competition was fierce in all 10 great races, which were spread out across the three day event, leaving competitors with something to be long remembered.
Early Saturday the last boats arrived and by 12:00 the first race was underway in five knots that steadily built to 7.5 knots of wind from S/SW.
From then on things only got better with the wind strength building to 18.5 knots and each race on average 45 minutes.
Racing was close and any bad tactical decisions had an enormous impact on the final result of each race. Graham Baker, Shaun and Barry Gurnell on Red G sailed like champions and only lost one first place to Jabberwock of the six races sailed on Saturday.
An early morning skipper’s briefing on Sunday took the unanimous decision to extend the maximum races to 12 and not 10 as per the sailing instructions.
The wind gods were good and by 11:20 the first race started in 7.8 knots building to 12 knots of wind.
The unusual situation in the J fleet of only one recall proved to be the making of DJ who returned to the start line took a port tack and then rounded the windward mark first and that was where they finished first, great sailing Dominic.
The Bridge crew, under Ron Gurnell, ran slick races with well laid courses so by early afternoon 10 races had been completed. It was decided some R&R for the tired sailors was in order.
“With the Witbank barge boat loaded with refreshments and people with J22’s with motors and Witbank motor boats as backup we set off down the gorge to Steve’s pub,” said race organisers and competitors.
Early morning Monday wind did not look encouraging so the decision was taken to have prize giving at 11:00 and let the travelling boats head off home. Within the hour the boats were out the water and then the wind arrived on cue.
The final results saw team Red G – Graham Baker, Shaun Gurnell and Barry Gurnell finishing in first place followed by team Laugh a Minute – Dave Martinson and Alex Garoufalias in second place and, team DJ – Dominic van der Walt, Megan van der Walt and Deon van der Walt taking home the third finish.
Organisers wish to thank the sponsors and Witbank Yacht and Aquatic Club for another wonderful regatta, and are looking forward to seeing them again in 2016.
