Practice and Teamwork Propel Patriot's Win

A captivating weekend of sailing unfolded as the Discount Yachting Winter Series: Destination Race to Geelong took centre stage. A fleet of 44 boats converged at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club start line where entrants displayed their competitive natures.

The race commenced with a 17-knot westerly wind yet quickly challenged competitors with gusts of up to 25 knots and waves as high as 1.5 meters. As the fleet passed Port Arlington conditions began to ease and flatten, offering sailors a temporary respite from the earlier racing challenges. It was during this phase that the handicap leaders, Patriot and Wicked, engaged in a gripping display of competitive racing. With tacks and strategic moves, they challenged each other to the finish.

Ultimately congratulations go to Jason Close and his crew on Patriot who clinched the Overall AMS victory. Speaking to Jason after the race he reflected on “tough conditions” noting it was an “uncomfortable race with the initial short sharp sea state and wind over tide in the channel towards Geelong.” Elaborating further, he said, they “love the race to Geelong and RGYC and use it along with other ORCV races as a training race every year”.  Strategically Jason felt they may have been “over cautious in the channel, perhaps tacking more than required however, we made up ground which was tough on the crew yet paid off as we really refined our tacking and developed a seamless process in the end”.

Special mentions go to Peccadillo and Extasea who both ploughed through the waves taking out the multihull and monohull line honours. Our smaller fleet also shone brightly, all successfully making it to Geelong. A special congratulations and acknowledgement are reserved for Siesta, who completed their first ORCV race!

Following the race, skippers and crews gathered at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. Welcoming them was RGYC Vice Commodore Paul Buchholz and ORCV Commodore Cyrus Allen. The evening was full with jubilant spirits, hearty camaraderie, and the joy of sharing tales from the race. Prizes, generously provided and presented by Discount Yachting’s Will Baum were awarded to the triumphant skippers present. As day turned into night, festivities continued and showcased the true spirit of our ORCV sailing community.

The success of the Discount Yachting Winter Series Destination Race to Geelong owed much to the unwavering support of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, whose staff and volunteers dedicated themselves to hosting the event. Gratitude is also extended to the Royal Brighton Yacht Club for their assistance at the start line and to Dave Hewison Photography for capturing the breathtaking moments at the start of the race. Last but certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you is extended to our dedicated ORCV volunteers whose tireless efforts make this unforgettable event possible.

Provisional results:

AMS Overall:

• 1^st: Patriot
• 2^nd: Wicked
• 3^rd: Another Chapter

ORC Overall:

• 1^st: Wicked
• 2^nd: Patriot
• 3^rd: Cadibarra

PHS Overall:

• 1^st: Goggo
• 2^nd: Wicked
• 3^rd: Cadibarra

Double Handed:

• 1^st: Joker
• 2^nd Maverick
• 3^rd Xenia

Cruising:

• 1^st: Stampede
• 2^nd Azura

Line Honours:

• Monohull: Extasea
• Multihull: Peccadillo

For full results please see: https://www.orcv.org.au/results/2022-23/2023MWSr/series.htm?ty=19660

Photo: Patriot by Dave Hewison Photography

If you wish to purchase any of Dave’s photographs from our races, you can do so here.