NSW STATE TITLES - 2007/08

The NSW State Title Series consisted of nine races with the best of six to count, contested at three venues: Lake Illawarra, Balmoral and Bateman's Bay.

Smoke, skippered by Michael Forster with Daryl Roos up front and Tara Ducker on main, during a practice session on Lake Burley Griffin the weekend before the last Heats for the State Titles.

Final Round of NSW State Titles - April 2008 - Bateman's Bay

The third and final round of the NSW/ACT Sharpie State Titles was held in Bateman’s Bay over the Anzac Day long weekend, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April 2008. Conditions were variable over the course of the weekend with light breezes for the two races held on Saturday and moderate breezes on Sunday for the final race.

Canberra boat Smoke skippered by Michael Forster, with Daryl Roos up front and Tara Ducker on mainsheet quickly cemented their lead in the series with a win in the first race. David Dixon Hughes on Tickety Boo was second with John Fisher’s Bling coming in third place. This meant a State Title win for Smoke, with five previous race wins at Lake Illawarra and Balmoral and the best six out of nine races counting for the title.
The second race on Saturday afternoon saw the wind drop with John Fisher in Bling just taking Derek Milligan on Suicide Blonde before the finish. David Dixon Hughes brought Tickety Boo in third. The new State Champions in Smoke couldn’t manage to finish the race in the light winds as the current was carrying them - and Rick Shortbridge on Proud Aussie - backwards.

The third race of this final round for the State Championship was held Sunday lunchtime. Again Smoke won the day but close behind challenging them throughout the short 40 minute race was Suicide Blonde skippered by Derek Milligan. Chris Ablett’s Mr Freeze was third in the final race.

The regatta, which included an additional Sunday morning race which did not count towards the states, was won by Derek Milligan. David Dixon Hughes came in second with Michael Forster in third.

Next season’s State Titles should prove to be an interesting series with the Nationals being held at Lake Illawarra and a number of whispers about crew changes already!!

Round 2 - Balmoral Sailing Club

The weekend was dominated by Smoke Michael Forster/Tara Ducker/Darryl Roos from YMCA Sailing Club in Canberra taking all three heats.

Although the racing was close with Saturday’s race being light the Canberra boats were close to each other with Bling John Fisher, Suicide Blonde Derek Milligan and Mr Freeze all pressing Smoke at different times.

The first Sunday race was sailed in a moderate southerly Smoke was again doing well but was being pressed by a gaggle of boats led by Balmoral Commodore David Dixon-Hughes in Ticketty Boo, Rick Outhreds Silent Butt Deadly and Marc Ablett in Workin Class. However this was short lived with Ticketty Boo going prawning with her spinnaker and Workin Class breaking a rudder blade off the Bombora being towed off in the nick of time in what could have been a nasty incident. Smoke went on to win the heat from Suicide Blonde and Mr Freeze.

The second Sunday heat was a torrid affair with Silent Butt Deadly leading around the last buoy by a millisecond from Suicide Blonde with Smoke a further second away third. The pressure was intense with the first to crack being the veteran Rick Outhred who fell in to windward off the quarantine station at North Head. This basically left Suicide Blonde and Smoke to fight it out. However, within 200 meters of the finish off Middle Head Suicide Blonde capsized on the go about which left Smoke still standing and went on to win the heat with the fast finishing Ticketty Boo snatching second place.

The weekend was both a sailing and social success with Rick Outhred being presented with a quality red at the traditional Saturday Night BBQ for his contribution to Sharpies in NSW. He is now a Queensland resident however he flew down to compete over the weekend. After 36 years with the famous "N" on the sail he will compete at the Australian Championships over the Xmas period at Port Kembla Sailing Club on Lake Illawarra sporting a "Q".

Race start during Round 2 of the NSW State Titles, held at Balmoral.

Round 1 - Lake Illawarra

Lake Illawarra’s Port Kembla Sailing Club hosted the first round of the NSW Sharpie State Titles on the weekend of 28/29 November 2008. The Kembla Klassic regatta consisted of a four race program with the last three races counting for the State Titles.

The Sydney boats dominated the first heat, with Rick Outhred bringing Silent Butt Deadly home first, David Dixon Hughes following with Ticketty Boo in second and Derek Milligan skippering Suicide Blonde home third.

Saturday night and the election gave plenty of reason to celebrate or convalesce.

Thankfully for most, Sunday morning was fairly still, with only just enough wind for a race. Suicide Blonde didn’t help their chances at the Title with an OCS while Smoke redressed their earlier 7th by mastering the light conditions to collect the victory. One could only assume that it was Darly’s bright pink legs from Saturday's lack of sunscreen that provided the winning edge. Chris Ablett brought Mr Freeze in second and Rick Outhred glided Silent Butt Deadly home third. The closeness of the competition was highlighted in this race with all Sharpies crossing the finish within only a few minutes of each other.

The breeze strengthened slightly for the afternoon race with Smoke once again delivering the goods with a win, Rick again in the places with Silent butt Deadly coming in second, and Chris's bringing Mr Freeze home third.

Smoke walked away with the regatta prize for the Kembla Klassic Large Monohull category to top off a good weekend.

Chris, Hamish and Harry keep Mr Freeze delicately balanced during a heat of the 2007/08 NSW State titles held at Port Kembla Sailing Club.