ORCV Melbourne Winter Series (MWS)

Not out here just to look good.

No. It's time to train and get on with the sport of going fast and getting the machine, called crew, to work together so well, that it all looks harmonious.

Ice Fire joined the gang mucking about in classic MWS weather.

Grey old day, helped here by Steb's exposure manipulation...

'Round you go with Challenge on your tail.

I love the reach to the hitch. It gets ever so much warmer, a little flatter, a hell of a lot faster and there's none of the madness as there is once the Bag goes up. Talking of reaching - bring back the Olympic Course, I say.... Always a hoot at the gybe mark. Always a hoot...

Tim 'Old School' Dutton on the wheel. He's done a few MWS's in his time.

Team Jazz Player. Naviguesser is checking out where the fleet is placed. No, really...

I have to have one art image per article and this is it. Awesome. Jazz Player's Bowman, just don't know your name, but I may have met you at Port Fairy. Sorry if I did and cannot remember your name. Let me know...

OK. Two artsy fartsy shots. Love this with the stern wave rolling out. Love it.

I think this is after the OCS...

Definitely is.

Back you go, groovers.

Looks ordinary...

But quickly solved... This image is about six frames later.

All I'm going to say is they know how to sail.

Steady as she goes.

Another mob making a good fist of it all. The 'we own the scoreboard' crew - Wicked.

Stampede with sexy new headsail. Below deck furler too, by the looks of it...

Ninety Seven above them.

Mitch, Lisa, Sim and the gang on Horizon Sprint. Would have had to dry out after the day's outing...

Mille Sabords - new-to-Port-Phillip and Stephane Howarth, for that matter.

Looking forward to the cannonballs...

Now this would be Fade 2 Grey from Sandy. Awesome 'Steb' smashing off the bow here....

Must ask if this had anything to do with the name or perhaps I'm the only one who spent way too much time in clubs in the 80's???? Lisa Hammond-Batson may be able to testify in my defense. Of course we were all SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO cool, back then. Frosty.

The Love Boat, Nutcracker, begin their day's work. Their Bowman, Chris Furey, commented of the day, "I am way too old for this. Especially after the SYC Ball the night before..." Off to the Pool Room with this one, Rob? So it would seem then, that the heads are a whole lot clearer and working by now. This is Cpt Stubbing and crew, finishing Race Two (the first of the day) and not off to work. Mea Maxima Culpa. At least someone's reading to pick me up. I should put paragraphs of rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb in, like we did with exams, just to see if anyone was actually going through them in detail...

MWS Poster Shot, right here I think. QED.

Cam on the bow, keeping a very close eye on things...

"Anytime you're ready!"

Water. It comes with the job. You do get the pace and excitement, as well...

Looks worse than it actually is. All about the angles.

Mucho, mucho applause for going with the big Bag in the blustery conditions.

Toyota Hilux or what?

No harm, no foul. Stood back up and got on with it again. Excellent. That's called looking good.

Calm, to windward and The Finger to leeward, crank it on and head to the top. Chris Smethurst - King of Pumps - (and no that doesn't make him a Drag Queen, just ultra useful on the grinder)!!!

Get all 52 feet in the water and make a dash for it!

Ice Fire get rolled out the back in this drag race.

I think this is what you call the glamour start - that's Calm's prodder out the back.

Get 'em up and out hiking team!

Around the top and off to the hitch mark... Now, like a really nasty TV Reality/Comp Show host, we'll see the rest of this run, 'after these important messages!'

Yes. You can send the congratulatory messages in, starting now...

The full MWS results to date are HERE.

You can still enter individual MWS races HERE and the M2G is HERE - remember that Cruising Divisions will be offered for the latter event.

 

 

By John Curnow

Thank you to David Judge and Tony Dawson from Hoobo's for ensuring Steb had a ride and we, therefore, had imagery.
The Colts (Sydney 38s) are having their own fight within the battle - many thanks to Ullman Sails for providing the prize.