With sunshine returning to Sydney after last week’s big blow, the Audi Centre Sydney Winter Series fleet was once again back out in full force.
With racing being conducted under clear blue skies, the characteristic tricky winter breeze was making the teams work for every gain. One team which was able to make the most of the gain was Tom Quick’s Farr40 Outlaw taking out PHS DivA1. With only a 44-second gap to Warwick Sherman’s Snowdome Occasional in second and then one second to Sebastian Bohm’s Smuggler in third, it was race that could have been won by many teams.
Tom is, however, not new to the conditions that a Winter Series race can produce with this being his 17thseason competing in the series.
Reflecting on the day Tom said, “It was pretty nice weather except the wind was obviously very tricky. It was a big challenge and everyone was sort of looking good at moments, then looking famous and then feather dusters. It was terrific to have a thrilling game of chess on the second lap. It’s a very tricky place to sail in that wind. We all work together, we don’t usually have a dedicated tactician. Yesterday we mixed it up a bit and had one guy solely on tactics, we all still have a bit of a collaboration, but he had his head on it all day. I like the days where you do really have a crack at going wide or changing it up and having a chance to make some gains.”
After a very good season in the Farr40 One Design Class and a third-place finish at the national titles, the Audi Centre Sydney Winter Series is one that the team is able to focus more on enjoyment and getting new people to experience sailing.
“Only myself and one other on the crew do all the one design regattas. This is our social crew, we put a few people on to the boat during the season to get them used to one design sailing. The biggest aim is to have fun but also be competitive at the same time and we are getting a bit better at that,” Tom said.
PHS DivB was won by Tony Clift’s The Goat, PHS DivD George Waldthausen’s Superfine, PHS DivE Stephen Girdis’ +GST, PHS DivF Reece Theedam’s PanaceaI, PHS DivG J Hewitt and C Johnson’s See Ya, PHS DivJ1 G. Rob Druny’s Pazazz II, PHS DivJ2 Daniel Foggo’s Sabre, PHS DivK Herman Heiligers’ Hubcap2. IRC division was won by Paul Clitheroe’s Balance.
Full results from the days racing can be found on the CYCA Website or at the Audi Centre Sydney Winter Series Results Page.
