Dabchick regatta

SAILING NEWS - With the main Western Cape Champion-ships for dinghy classes held in False Bay from Simonstown over the Easter weekend, the Dabchick class opted to stage this event for their class at George Lakes Yacht Club on Island Lake over the long weekend at the end of April.

The Dabchick is a South African-designed boat sailed by youth sailors under 19.

The event attracted a big fleet of 34 boats, the largest for many years, with entries coming from Cape Town and Johannesburg, as well as twelve boats from our local clubs, Knysna, Mossel Bay and George. Girls and boys sail these boats against each other. Eight girls were sailing in this event.

Racing commenced on Friday in a very light south-westerly breeze and just two races could be completed.

On Saturday 29 April, a stronger wind varying between west and south-west produced better conditions and five races were sailed.

The last races were sailed on Sunday, where a light south-easterly wind of 10 to 12 knots produced near ideal sailing conditions. Four races were sailed, totalling eleven races over the weekend. Two of races of each sailor could be discarded.

Dabchicks lining up for a race on Sunday. Photo: Jordyn Soldin

The event was dominated by Sean Kava-nagh of Cape Town, who proceeded to win nine of the races. In several of the races, he was able to extend large leads ahead of his rivals. In one race, where he had a bad start, he was able to recover from mid-fleet to finish in second place.

Overall second place was taken by Thomas Slater, while there was close competition for third place between Max Celliers and Patrick Kessel, with the final podium position going to Kessel by one point. Olivia Purchase was the first girl in the series, with an overall sixth place. All these sailors are from Cape Town. Conrad Holm, who ended in fifth place overall, was the best local sailor.

GLYC's JP Buys normally sails Laser, but achieved a creditable 11th place in a competitive fleet.