An icy day in Melbourne for Day 2 of the 2025 Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (AWKR), coupled with high wind blustery conditions on Port Phillip this morning prompted Race Officer Lou Hutton to postpone racing until she reassessed the options – and conditions played ball, Hutton sending the fleet out for a midday start.
Hutton had a plan in place: “We’ll do a short race, then a long one. If things look a bit ugly, we’ll just go for two short races,” on a day when rain was also on the cards and though the clouds threatened, the rain did not materialise until late into racing and remained light.
The opening windward/leeward race was sailed in up to 15 knots of breeze, which lightened off to 10 and less for a race around the cans in Race 2.
While awaiting further news on whether racing could go ahead, Monica Jones, Event Chairwoman and competitor of the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (RMYS) hosted event, reflected on the number of newcomers to the AWKR this year.
“It’s gratifying seeing so many women coming to our event for the first time. And they are women of all ages, including a mother and daughter who are competing on separate boats,” said Jones, who helped find a ride for the daughter with sailing legend, Wendy Tuck on the Beneteau 34.7, Spartan.
It was an opportunity to good to resist for Taylor Parkes, a 21-year-old who normally sails out of Newcastle, north of Sydney.
Taylor was brutally honest on how she came to be at this regatta, now in its 33rd year: “Mum called me and asked if I wanted to come to this regatta with her and I said I didn’t want to – too cold! She rang me again and I said I’d come if she found me a ride.
“Mum she spoke to someone (Jones) and I’m really glad I came now. I’m enjoying the social side here too. I love the sausage sizzle and the chat after racing.”
And the racing? “It’s all good on Spartan. I’m learning, sailing with them. I’m on the bow. I do bow at home. I started sailing on She’s the Culprit (a Newcastle boat that does its fair share of ocean races). Now I sail on This Way Up in club races. I’m offshore racing too. I’m doing the Sydney Gold Coast on Summer Salt, then the Gold Coast Mackay on Mako.
“I’m trying to get my sailing experience up and this regatta is part of it. I would definitely come back. My end goal is to do the Sydney Hobart,” Taylor said.
While this is her first time Taylor has sailed on an all-woman crew, she maintains, “It’s not that different from the other boats I’ve sailed on – mostly the other boats have had mixed crews and the dynamics are good on those and it feels the same here.”
Taylor’s mother, Belinda, has made big inroads in sailing at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in NSW where son won the Trygve Halvorsen Offshore Achievement of the Year: “It was amazing considering the names who have won it – like Stacey Jackson (a professional offshore sailor),” Belinda said.
“This is my first Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta and I’m sailing on Vanessa Twigg’s Serious Yahoo. I’ve never sailed on an Adams 10 before, but I always wanted to. I met Belinda (Duivenvoorden, an AWKR committee member and competitor) and she said she could help me find a boat to race on here.
“Katie’s an incredible skipper,” she says of Katie Holroyd, who steers Twigg’s boat, while Twigg prefers to crew. “I didn’t know anyone on board before. I only met them when I came here,” says Belinda who is doing mast and trimming. “I’m really glad I got on that boat.”
Belinda says she heard about the regatta through the sailing world.
“I read about it in stories online and heard about it from others. That’s what made want to come here. It’s an incredible event. It’s run really well and there’s great camaraderie. We don’t have this type of standalone event in Sydney. This is a pinnacle event. It’s a good time of year too, as there’s no regattas on in Sydney.”
It’s hard to believe Belinda only started sailing four years ago. She dived in head first and has not looked back.
“I’ve raced on lots of boats in different races like the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour and the Port Lincoln Race. I did the Sydney Hobart last year on Mondo,” she says of the Sydney 38 she was bow person on.
So who is leading who at the AWKR – mother – or daughter?
Coming into today’s racing, Belinda on Serious Yahoo (Vic) had the upper hand in second place overall, while Spartan (NSW) was fourth overall. After two more races today, Serious Yahoo remains second and Spartan fourth, although Spartan is now on equal points with third placed Bullet, skippered by Robyn Ragauskas. Tomorrows racing will decide…
After two races today, Claire Heenan’s Salvage Drinks Co Jungle Juice continues to lead overall after scoring 2-1 results and using the second place as her race drop. Serious Yahoo is four points behind, while Bullet and Spartan are a further two points away.
The Deb Parker steered Double Shot (Vic) continues her lead of the S80 division, 5-2 result and dropping the fifth gives Parker’s crew a one point advantage only over Emma Maartens’ Hot Shot (Vic), which had a great day with 2-1 scores.
Fiona McManus las lifted Mood Indigo (NT) up into third place following a win and a third today. The Darwin crew are slow burners but once into the game, will be hard to remove from the podium.
Entrants are here in Melbourne representing Tasmania, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, NSW and of course, Victoria.
Tomorrow is the final day of racing when all the winners will be decided. Racing is due to commence from 10am.
One of the popular new sponsors at AWKR this year is Jimmy Rum and founder James McPherson was kept busy indulging us in some rum tasting last evening. Lots of great mixes and flavours, so do yourself a favour and get on board at: https://jimmyrum.com.au/collections/rum
Full results and all information: https://www.awkr.com.au/
List of entries: https://www.topyacht.com.au/db/kb2/1858
By Di Pearson/AWKR media
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