Well done and a thank you for the eight Interstate competitors who made the journey and brought strong competition to make the event competitive and present a good size fleet.
The event at Harts Mill presented a good spectacle for the steady stream of people walking along the wharf area. A good venue, with an exceptional vantage point, for skippers to control their IOMs.
Racing, well slow racing, commenced after a wait for the wind to appear with sufficient strength and stability to make the event possible. Brett Osborne as the Race Officer for day one contended with difficult conditions to set and provide a fair course. After a couple of heats and, steak sandwich or hamburger and chips lunch, racing progressed on flat water with just enough wind to keep everyone moving. The top of the fleet was beginning to be established with some good results by Ben Morris and Johno Johnson each taking out a first to show the usual top place getters that they needed to be vigilant. Racing continued while the wind lasted and finished just short of the scheduled time for cessation of racing for day one.
Day two saw Rob Cameron (Gully) take over the Race Officer duties and had an even more frustrating time in waiting for the wind to appear and settle to commence racing. One race had to be abandoned due to a massive shift in wind direction during the first beat. Racing continued for the scheduled period with an extended lunch break and a course change to cater for the fickle wind conditions.
Congratulations to the place getters Scott Mitchell for holding the SA flag high and Andrew Reid for the Victorian contingent and Ross Bennet maintaining our appreciation for the Western Australian input to the ARYA.