MOSSEL BAY NEWS - On 26 and 27 February Mossel Bay Sailing Club hosted the regional interclub competition between Mossel Bay, Knysna and George Lakes yacht clubs.
This event was the last in a three-part championship which takes place annually between these clubs.
It was the first time after Mossel Bay Yacht and Boat Club lost its premises three years ago that Mossel Bay received any entries from other clubs, event organiser Elfie Holden said.
“It took a lot of convincing to get the other club sailors here as we have no facilities to offer them,” Holden explained.
The event base was a tent on Munro Beach and all the boats launched from this area. “The incline to the beach under the railway at Santos Beach is quite steep and visiting sailors find this a great inconvenience.
"Fortunately, a handful of these visiting clubs' sailors decided to take up the challenge and come and sail in our beautiful waters," Holden said.
"They were treated to the sight of two cruise liners in the bay on Saturday, with a good 12 knots of winds blowing and reasonably large swells."
Lower handicap
The sailors finished four races during the afternoon's racing. Yogi Divaris, sailing a Finn from Knysna, led the lower handicap fleet, making the best of the weather conditions with Mossel Bay locals Khanya Mafuta and Oliver Holden, both Skipper Foundation sailors, on their 29er boat, close on his heals.
Mossel Bay's Renier Delie and Waydon Goliath, also Skipper Foundation learners, dominated the higher handicap fleet on their Topper boats.
Sunday dawned with a light easterly and large swells. "The fleet had to start a little late as the sailors had to wait for the light breeze to fill in," Holden said.
The locals on 29er boats unfortunately fell prey to seasickness and lost their second place in the last race to Brett Gething, also on a Finn, from Knysna. Renier was not put off by the big swell and finished strongly on seven points, winning five out of the seven races.
In the end Knysna walked away with the lower handicap team prize and Mossel Bay with the higher handicap team prize.
This is a great achievement for the higher handicap team as it has won all three interclub competitions, making it the team to beat in the future.
Holden thanks the sponsor of the event prizes and sailing club members for their personal donations, making this event possible.
Sailors Waydon Goliath (left) and Renier Delie in action. Passengers of the Europa II cruise liner had the excitement of watching a sailing regatta while they were anchored in the bay.
The top five positions in their fleets:
Lower handicap fleet
1st Yogi Divaris, Knysna Yacht Club; 2nd Brett Gething, Knysna Yacht Club; 3rd Khanya Mafuta and Oliver Holden, Mossel Bay Sailing Club; 4th Kyle Koeries, George Lakes Yacht Club; 5th Mat de Villiers and Chris du Toit, George Lakes Yacht Club.
Higher handicap Fleet
1st Renier Delia, Mossel Bay Sailing Club; 2nd Waydon Goliath, Mossel Bay Sailing Club; 3rd JP Buys, George Lakes Yacht Club; 4th Ayden Gething, Knysna Yacht Club; 5th Ashley Lomati, MosselBay Sailing Club.
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