Hi all,

here is that long awaited report on the Nationals I promised. How about everybody that was there posting a highlight so we can get less of a narrow view. Mine is un ashamedly Gippsland Lakes and Cat Rig focussed.

Gippsland Lakes Mosquito’s Swarm 2009-10 Australian Titles.

The Mosquito Catamaran Australian Titles where conducted by the Mannering Park Amateur Sailing Club, on Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, from Monday, 28th December 2009 to Saturday 2nd January 2010. Seven Mosquito’s from the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria made the trip north, two Sloop Rigs, Neil and David Joiner, John and Ben Emonson along with five Cat Rigs, Peter Nikitin, Tim Shepperd, Gary Maskiell, Mitch Meade and Nick Baglioni.

The event was well run by M.P.A.S.C. with 10 races in 4 days offering a variety of conditions from 5 to 20 knots, with warm conditions through out, the only down side was rain on all but 2 days. The majority of sailors stayed in the camp park next door to the club making for a very social event, with family and friends enjoying the lake side location, swimming pool and BBQ shelter big enough for all the Mossie crew.

Monday was measurement and weigh in day, never the most popular activity it was made less enjoyable by constant rain, but thanks to the persistence of volunteers all that needed to be done was completed with a smile despite the damp conditions.

Tuesday morning gusty winds prevailed for the invitation race, with the course set south of the club in a confined arm of the lake with the shorelines influencing the wind gusts, those that could pick the shifts reaped the rewards. With Matt Stone first Cat Rig over the line, with Mick and Sarah Floyd first Sloop Rig.

Tuesday afternoon the serious racing started. Heat 1 was in the more open part of the lake, the wind was more serious as well, gusting up to 20 knots with a short chop. There where 3 different course variations possible, “A”= Triangle, Windward & Return, Triangle, Windward & Return, 4 laps. “B”= Triangle, Windward & Return, Triangle, 3 laps. “C”= 4 x Windward & Returns. The course to be used was displayed on the start boat but as luck would have it, I forgot to look and found myself at the front, so I asked Tim who I was battling for first with, he hadn’t looked either, this could be embarrassing. Luckily Peter caught up and I asked him, he was confident it was course “A”, then he was kind enough to capsize and leave me in the lead. As I approached the windward mark to complete the third lap I thought, “thank you Pete”, confident in the knowledge that I didn’t need to go to the finish line. But as I headed down the run, I saw Tim and others heading to the finish line and uncertainty took over, then I heard Tim get the hooter. I was devastated, but I was half way down the run by now and decided to stick with Peter’s word, as I knew Tim did not know the course from earlier enquiry. Then I saw Tim and the others heading down the run, that added more hope a anxious beat followed with nobody near me as my lead was now most of the beat, I crossed the line to the hooter and much relief. I thought I owe Peter big time, but that is what the Mossie fleet is about, hard racing but we stay friends. Tim was second and Matt third. In the Sloops Floyd’s where first, with Simon Hallsworth and Sarah Martin second with Jon and Ben Emonson third, only 40 seconds separated the first 3.

Heat 2 was back to back, this time I checked the course board, “A” again, the wind had shifted a bit and the buoy end of the line was favoured. I hit the line hard and fast and was never headed for the 4 laps, with the wind still gusting around 20 knots. The direction now favouring a immediate tack at the bottom mark followed by a long leg to the windward shore to overlay the windward mark and fly in to the windward mark in flat water lap after lap, leaving me with a lead of over 2 minutes. Who said you need to be heavy to perform in strong winds, it felt as fast as the last Nationals I sailed on a Mossie, then I was 95 kg plus, now I am 72kg. Second was Tim followed by Matt Third. Sloops, Neil and David Joiner started getting it together for a one second win from the Floyd’s in second, followed by Peter Dunk and Kirsten Thomas third.

Wednesday, heat 3 was in the morning and again on the more enclosed part of the lake near the yacht club, with light gusty wind prevailing. Mich Meade showed what he is capable of to take first in the Cat Rigs, not bad for a 16-year-old who has been in the class for 6 months. Peter Nikitin had lead most of the way only to see Mitch and Matt come from the other side of the lake, to pip him on the line. Matt was second and Peter third, with only 30 seconds separating the three of them. Sloops, Floyd’s where first by 4 seconds from Simon and Sarah second, with Joiner’s third. The afternoon saw the wind pick up again to around 15 knots. Heat 4, Cat rigs, I again enjoyed the fresh conditions to take first from Ben Cutmore, who took flier’s on the beats all regatta long and this race they payed as he finished one second ahead of Tim, third. Sloops, Floyd’s where first, Joiner’s second and Simon and Sarah third. Heat 5 was back to back with 4 with the wind a little lighter. In the Cat Rigs Tim broke through for the win, it was close 11 seconds, leaving me second, regretting some slow tacks, Matt was third establishing consistent places that would help at the end. Sloops, Simon and Sarah broke through for a big win, over 2 minutes ahead of Peter and Kirsten second, followed by Floyd’s only 10 seconds behind in third.

Thursday, again lighter winds prevailed for the morning race heat 6, in the confined area near the club. But this time Peter didn’t give up his lead in the Cat Rigs beating Ben Clark over the line by the narrowest of margins only two seconds with Matt only two seconds behind in third. In the Sloops Joiners enjoyed a run away win, first by over 2 minutes, with Philip and Cameron Warren-Smith second, over 2 minutes ahead of Simon and Sarah in third. Again in the afternoon there was stronger breeze around 15 knots and the races where held in the more open part of the lake away from the club. Heat 7, I battled with Garry Johnstone for the lead, Garry had threatened to take a place most races but carried this one to the end finishing some 40 seconds behind me for second, with the ever consistent Matt third. In the Sloops it was as good as a dead heat, with the Floyd’s scraping over the line by one second from Simon and Sarah third and Joiners only another second behind in third. The finish boat crew where feeling the pressure as well as the sailors! Race 8 was back to back with the wind dying a little to about 12 knots. In the Cat rigs Tim took another win from Matt in second and me in third. Sloops, Joiner’s enjoyed a clear win with Simon and Sarah Second and Emonson’s third.

So that was the end of 3 days of hard racing, with 8 heats completed and New Years Eve to be enjoyed followed by a lay day, it gave time to reflect. It looked like first in the cat rigs was settled in my favour, but the Sloops would go to the wire. It may sound like the racing was much the same each day, but the wind direction was different each day even though the strength was similar, making it necessary to re learn the shifty winds on the course each day, which kept me on my toes and I am sure the others felt the same.

Saturday, the final two heats where to be sailed in the morning, again lighter winds prevailed on the course close to the club. Heat 9 in the Cat Rigs nobody could hold back Ben Clark, who went on to be the first non-Gippsland Lakes sailor to win a Cat Rig heat followed by Peter in second and Garry J in third. I finished 4th frustrated with not being able to place better in the light winds having placed 4th in every morning race, but happy in the knowledge I had sealed the championship as my closest rivals Tim and Matt where behind me. In the Sloops the Joiner’s applied the pressure to the Floyd’s by taking first place with Simon and Sarah second followed by the Warren-Smith’s in third. Heat 10 was back to back, in the Cat rigs it was the battle for second overall between Matt and Tim, that made it interesting and Matt pulled out his first win for the series ahead of Tim in second, to take second overall and Peter placed third. I was again struggling back in fourth place when I rounded the last mark for the final beat to the finish, but decided I may as well take a flier on the last beat as another 4th to drop was of no consequence. Of course it didn’t work and I finished 7th, some what of an anticlimax to my series. Final results where 1st. Gary M, 2nd. Matt, 3rd. Tim. The sloops where the opposite, it was all down to this final heat to determine who won, with the Joiners enjoying a big win or was that a big grin to take the series, over 3 minutes ahead of Simon and Sarah second this heat and Floyd’s third. Final placings 1st. Joiner’s, 2nd. Floyd’s, on a count back from Simon and Sarah 3rd.

Highlights of the series were the atmosphere if you sail a Mossie and you weren’t there YOU MISSED OUT BIG TIME. This regatta was one of the reasons I came back to Mossies, friends and family on shore in a social atmosphere, combined with close racing on the water, sailing doesn’t come any better than this! Then there was the dominance of the Gippsland Lakes Mossies, until the last day every cat rig heat was won by Gippsland Lakes mossies, overall we won Cat and Sloop, Junior and Master. I think new rivalries where established in the Sloops pitting family against family, which is always good for the future of the class, after all that is why many of us started sailing Mossies to sail with our families, 5 of the sloops where family combinations. But most importantly something we haven’t seen enough of, the young Cat Rig sailors that came to the fore, with Matt and Mitch being the standouts. The future of Mossie sailing looks good, make sure you are at the next event to be part of it. You won’t be sorry and remember to ask the guy’s ahead of you what they are doing to go faster, I am sure they will be happy to pass on some hints, that’s what the Mossies are all about, family, friends and close racing.