This Week In Sailing - 4th May 2023

HOBIE QUEENSLAND STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023

Huge Congratulations to our Hobie sailors who competed at the Hobie Queensland State Championships 2023 at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron on the weekend.

Results Link – https://app.sailsys.com.au/club/25/results/series/2309/pointscore?view=individual&handicap=s

2023 QLD STATE LASER TITLES

By: Matthew Sinnamon (Junior Vice Commodore)

Exactly 100 lasers participated in the 2023 Queensland State Laser Titles held at Humpybong Yacht Club, eight of which were from SYC. A total of five races were planned, but only 3 went ahead with there not being enough wind on the second day.

From SYC, we had five ILCA 4 sailors, two ILCA 6’s and one ILCA 7. Although no podium positions were achieved by the SYC competitors, everyone had a great time over the weekend.

The first day consisted of three races which were sailed in light winds that picked up to about ten knots in the late afternoon. The breeze on the second day however was even lighter, with no races being started at all. To pass the time on the second day, the junior SYC sailors formed a raft up on the water where we did fun things such as swimming in the water, paddling about, and talking.

Humpybong Yacht Club is a great club, and the volunteers did an excellent job running the event. I highly recommend participating in a regatta at Humpybong Y.C. if you get a chance.

Link to Results:

https://www.sailwave.com/results/2022-23_QLA_State_Championships.htm

**photo courtesy Humpybong Yacht Club

BAY TO BAY YACHT RACE

Congratulations to the SYC competing yachts in the annual Bay to Bay Yacht Race, held at Hervey Bay Yacht Club on the weekend.

Results Link – https://herveybaysailingclub.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Preliminary-42nd-bay-to-bay-results-weekend-rev3.pdf

HOLLYWELL BISTRO OPENS @ 11:30AM on SUNDAY, 7th MAY 2023

Hollywell Clubhouse will be closed for breakfast on Sunday 7^th May, opening at 11:30am.

THIS WEEK @ OXENFORD WATERSPORT CENTRE AND SQUAD UPDATE

By: Michaela Hanson

Sailing Pathways

For all ages of learn to sail programs, having a pathway for progression and development is an important part to keep participants engaged. This term, on Saturday mornings, SYC launched the Out There Fleet. It is an additional pathway for teenagers who have completed the Out There program at Oxenford and who want to progress into sailing in tidal conditions and busy waterways. The participants follow the same structure as the program run at Oxenford and gives the opportunity to become familiar with Hollywell, meet other youth sailors and learn about what else is on offer. This week they began by being introduced to different classes of boats and were able to get out on the broadwater.

It has also been wonderful to have SYC members bringing their boats to Oxenford Lake. This Sunday we welcomed the Steadman family and their two Nacra catamarans. The lake looked fantastic with Nacra, RS Quests and Hobie’s sailing boats enjoying the day.

SAILOR of the WEEK

Congratulations Gabrielle Latter who has been nominated as Sailor of the Week. Gabby began her sailing journey with her family when she was 5 years old. She completed Tackers before sailing and took a back seat temporarily for other activities. At the age of 14yrs her personal interest took hold once again when she joined the SYC Oxenford Out There Program. She has been progressing steadily with building her skills and knowledge on Opti’s, Lasers, RS Quests, different catamarans, SYC club Melges and a 16ft racing cat called Alpha Omega. She actively volunteers to help with all programs including She Sails. This term Gabby moved over to SYC Hollywell to be part of the Out There Fleet and is finding catamaran sailing something she’s getting a real passion for. We look forward to seeing where the wind blows you Gabby.

MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS

This week we introduce you to Jasmine Ruck. Jasmine started sailing, as an adult aged 18 yrs, when her dad purchased a keelboat and needed crew. She was bitten by the sailing bug when she experienced the thrills and speed in her first Thursday Twighlight race at SYC. Since then, she has overcome seasickness and been part of open ocean racing and voyages including the Cook Island Yacht race, offshore Round the Cans and joining other youth on the STS Young Endeavour where she sailed for 11 days from Hobart to Adelaide on a Brigatine Tall Ship.

Recently she competed in the Royal Brisbane Women’s Keelboat Cup with an all-female crew coming 3rd place overall. She is one of our valued female instructors and is the driving force for the She Sails program, finding ways to grow and develop pathways for adult sailors to expand their sailing opportunities. Jasmine loves sailing and is passionate about seeing more women of all ages take up the sport, saying “it has the power to change lives, it has definitely defined and shaped mine for the better”.