The Women’s Squad from South of Perth Yacht Club (SoPYC) fielded two teams in the 2024 Women’s State Keelboat Championships, which took place on Sunday, April 7, 2024. Hosted by South of Perth Yacht Club, the event saw seven teams competing on Swan River Sailing’s fleet of Foundation 36’s, with a total of six races held.
Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club (MoFSC), led by skipper Bronagh Allison (a former SOPYC Junior Coach), emerged victorious in the overall standings. Fremantle Sailing Club, skippered by Georgia Payne, secured second place overall. The South of Perth Yacht Club’s team, helmed by Mara Lowry, clinched the third position overall, while another SoPYC team led by Kirstin Norris closely followed in fifth place overall.
The two Women’s Teams from SoPYC comprised the following members:
Team 1
Helm – Mara Lowry
Trim – Sonja Vlaar
Trim – Deb Conroy
Main– Trudy Murphy
Mast: – Victoria Blackensee
Pit – Melissa Baines
Bow – Rachel Baveye
Team 2
Helm – Kirstin Norris
Trim – Wendy Jorgensen
Trim – Fiona Lyons
Main – Amanda Watson
Mast – Jacqui Lund
Pit – Therese Trouchet
Bow – Jan Stearne
Regatta Insight
We were fortunate to experience ideal keelboat racing conditions with a stable breeze during the sailing window from 8:30am to 12:30pm, ranging from 5 to 10 knots, allowing the use of large code 1 headsails, and significant wind shifts to keep the racing interesting.
Starts played a crucial role, requiring a tactical and strategic approach to position favorably for the first shift and pressure lane.
Teams with strong boat handling skills and the ability to make sound tactical decisions in close quarters were able to capitalize on gaining the best advantage from the front of the fleet.
The dynamics changed on the downwind legs, with many teams aggressively gybing into new pressure lanes to execute overtaking maneuvers. Maintaining the lead downwind posed challenges, but MoFSC demonstrated exceptional boat handling and solid tactics, securing four wins.
As the series progressed with three-lap races following the initial two, the fitness of the teams was put to the test. It was truly an outstanding achievement by all participants and served as an inspiration for women’s sailing in Western Australia.
The SoPYC Women’s Squad extends heartfelt gratitude to the Coaches, Training & Development Committee, fellow club members for their continued guidance and encouragement.
Special thanks to the on-water coaches Alan Smith, Richard Maher, Guy Skinner, and Denis Jones for their invaluable training sessions leading up to the event. Appreciation is also extended to Wendy Jorgensen, Vice Sailing Captain, and Mara Lowry for their organisational efforts in preparing for the event.
Looking ahead, the Women’s Team is eagerly anticipating their participation in the Swan River Sailing Inter Club Championships event scheduled for Saturday, April 20, at Mounts Bay Sailing Club.
Live feed replays are available on the Swan River Sailing Facebook page.
