Finn Tapper, Harry Hall and Harry Price helmed Elliott Marine to victory in the 2018 Kellett Shield fleet racing regatta this past weekend hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia on a beautiful winter’s day on Sydney Harbour.
The Kellett Shield is the first regatta on the Youth Sailing Academy calendar with crews of three or four sailors on each Elliott 7 for a six-race program. Unfortunately, another light and variable Sydney winter plagued the majority of the day with the Race Committee, led by Steve Merrington, managing to complete four races after a one-and-a-half-hour delay in the middle of the day when the morning westerly shut down and the afternoon NE breeze filled in. The format for the regatta sees each crew member of each team having to helm at least one race on the day.
This year seven teams from the CYCA’s Advanced Squad and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron took part.
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With four races completed, Finn Tapper managed to defend his title from 2017, whilst this year’s Kellett Shield was Harry Hall’s first. In contrast, it was Harry Price’s seventh attempt at the Shield, taking out the top spot for the first time. Their consistent results of a 3,2,1,1 gave them victory by four points.
The battle for the remaining podium places saw points extremely close at the end of the series, with third and fourth tied on points. Jess Tavener, also new to the Advanced Squad in 2018, with Eric Sparkes and Dante Olivieri finished in second place, ahead of India Howard, Tom Grimes and James Pagett finishing in third.
The Kellett Shield is an excellent opportunity for the new sailors to experience regatta conditions in every position on the Elliott 7s. With regular skippers in unfamiliar territory on the bow but they finished the day with a greater understanding of how communication and teamwork can make a boat go fast. With on-water umpiring by YSA Head Coach Jordan Reece, each team also grew a better understanding of the Racing Rules of Sailing by the end of the day.
David Kellett, who in 1994 donated the Kellett Shield to the YSA to help promote and build youth sailing. His son Brad, was also a member of the YSA at its inception in 1993. David Kellett presented the shield at the end of regatta barbecue and presentation.
As the CYCA Youth Sailing Academy sails into their 25th season, the regatta schedule continues over the coming months with Advanced Squad back into training next weekend before the first match-racing event for the season, the Shelving Systems Match Racing Regatta kicking off on Saturday 30 June.
