Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club (GBYC) hosted the Mandrie Maritime Services Autumn Series on Saturday 10 and 24 April, with the L20 Time Out taking overall victory for skipper Philippe Pringiers.
The series attracted a total of 11 entries. However, after the postponement of the first race day due to a strong south east wind, only seven boats left the harbour to line-up for last weekend’s catch-up races.
With barely any wind around 09:45, the first race was one of attrition. The series favourite, the L26 Go Dutch, failed to make it to the start line on time in the light conditions. Skipper Nico van Wieringen was then forced to pull out of the day’s racing due to a seasick crew.
The identical L26 Equation, co-skippered by Richard and Edmund Tough, also failed to make it across the start and retired from the day’s racing. A similar non-starting victim of the frustrating conditions was the cruiser Pula, skippered by Piet Henning.
This left only four boats in the mix. Time Out was first across the line to start, followed by Zia, sailed single-handedly by Barry Ross. Mark Smeddle’s Plain Sailing also made it across the line. Libre suffered a rigging problem during the start sequence and stood down from the first race for on-the-water repairs.
Time Out, Zia and Plain Sailing were rewarded for their patience, not only with points results (in that order), but the prospect of another three races as a westerly picked up.
With strengthening wind, Time Out raced a perfect day, taking victory in all subsequent races and the GBYC Autumn Series Trophy.
With Libre having retired from the first race, the battle for second in the overall standings was between Zia and Plain Sailing. In the second race Zia recovered from a penalty to finish second across the line, while Libre pipped Plain Sailing to third place by only two seconds on corrected times.
With the wind freshening up for the last two races, Zia found herself at a disadvantage, compounded by two poor starts. Nonetheless, Ross managed a second (on handicap) and a fourth place, securing a second place overall in the series.
Plain Sailing finished second over the line in the third race, but not by enough of a margin to avoid being ousted on handicap by Zia in third place in the final race and overall. Libre had to settle for fourth overall in the standings, despite a strong showing in the heavier conditions.
GBYC thanked Mandrie Maritime Services for its generous sponsorship, as well as Carol Ferguson and her team on the bridge boat for adjudicating.
The next events at GBYC are the Simon’s Town Cruise this Saturday (30 April), followed by the Mandrie Maritime Services Youth Helm Trophy on Sunday 8 May.
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For more on sailing at GBYC, contact Eleonore Bondesio on 021 856 3263 or gbyc@gbyc.co.za.
