Sunshine, Sails, and Skill Building: Novice Return Series from Geelong

On Sunday, a fleet of 16 boats assembled in front of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, ready to sail in the Novice Return Series. This special race isn't solely about the finish line—it's a celebration of inclusivity and growth in sailing. The Novice Return Series encourages skippers to shuffle crew roles and introduce newcomers to longer distance racing, creating an environment where learning and camaraderie take centre stage.

The weather played its part perfectly on the day with sunshine beaming down and a gentle 6-8 knot tailwind, ideal for novice sailors. As such the fleet sailed closely in company for most of the day with spinnakers proudly unfurled and plenty of banter and close photo opportunities between boats.

While some boats surged ahead, the wind had its own plans and dwindled off significantly outside of the Sandringham Yacht Club enabling lighter boats to gain back ground on the leaders.

Ultimately it was David Richardson on Archie who won the PHS category for day and Julie McKay from Another Chapter who took the Line Honours.

ORCV would like to extend congratulations to all the novices who entered this race and tried something new! We hope you were able to take away some new knowledge, confidence and empowerment to keep learning and developing your sailing skills.

A special appreciation is also directed towards boat owners who entrusted their beloved boats to novices for the day and the seasoned sailors who offered mentoring. Their openness not only encourages inclusivity but also fosters an environment of shared knowledge and growth which only adds value to our sailing community. We thank you!

For full results: https://www.orcv.org.au/results/2022-23/2023Novice/series.htm?ty=21565