I wanted to share some of the happiness to the wider windsurfing community of the Windsurfer/ R300 Tasmanian State Titles which happened on the weekend at Sandy Bay Sailing Club in Hobart.
Jo Chau (SBSC and WT Committee), Mark Fitzgerald (WCAA) and myself have been working hard to get some longboard / course racing re-established in Tasmania.
The weekend saw 21 sailors in the two classes- Windsurfer and R300 raceboard. (Consider Tasmania's total population is about 500,000).
Competitors ranged in age from 14 year old Juliette Ayre (Bic Techno 293) to 60 something.
We ran the R300 (technically the "R Hybrid" class with 8.5 max sail size) so the Techno kids would have a bit of competition. There were 5 x R300 sailors (2 x Bic Techno 293, 1x Mistral Prodigy, 2 x Starboard Phantom 295).
The other 16 sailors were on Windsurfer LTs and One Designs (approx 2/3 of the LTs sold in Tasmania were on the water). Everyone who sailed the LTs were wrapped in how they performed.
Wind was 5-12 knots, and we had 10 races over 2 days.
1st heavyweight windsurfers- Dave Morehead
1st lightweight windsurfer- Tim Jones
1st ladies - Jo Chau
1st R300 - Matthew Stirling (followed very closely by 15 year old Finn Buchanan on a Techno 293)
Sandy Bay Sailing Club ran the event so professionally and were very welcoming to the windsurfing crew.
Thanks to the organisers (Jo Chau and SBSC especially), all who came along and in particular the 5 who travelled from northern Tasmania to compete.
When people are willing to travel, it means these events a genuine "State Title" (rather than just a Hobart title).
Clarence Macalister, President Windsurfing Tasmania
Interview with Jane Austen- sailing reporter:
soundcloud.com/user-222949633/new-recording-58?fbclid=IwAR19jH2skqPJaDfFUYQe7rIO_LjGGjEEhdXKohUzVrN66KYOOTAO2rQBdhc
A big thanks to SBSC and all those involved in the organizing. As an LT owner for a few months it was fantastic to try out a bit of racing and the 5 to 12 knot conditions were perfect for learning the basics. I was surprised how intense the start line was with 20 boards trying for the best spot and how consistently fast the best sailors were. It was a huge learning curve and lots of fun. All I have to learn now is how to start better and sail a bit faster! I think this photo shows me getting buried at the start, dammit!
Fantastic event. So much fun getting back on a Windsurfer. The LT is a great board. Can't wait to get out on it again and do some more racing next season! Well done to the SBSC, Clarence, Jo and Mark for helping make it all happen. Also great just to catch up with a lot of old and new faces!
Great to see all the positive feedback and comments.
Alan, some say the Naish pattern one design rig makes you go a bit faster.
Since the weekend another 6 LTs have been ordered for Tasmania.
It cannot be overstated how this board has tapped into everything good about windsurfing.
Clarence
