Day 2 of the Sail Port Stephens Super Series witnessed a dramatic start as competitors braced for rainstorms at dawn. However, the weather cleared, providing a stunning sunny backdrop for the 25 nautical mile racecourse that commenced off the Nelson Bay breakwall, leading to a mark south of Broughton Island before returning to the bay.
The races saw spinnakers unfurl as boats powered down the beach in ideal sailing conditions. Notably, Peter Lowndes’s Lyons 49, Wine-Dark Sea, claimed its first win of the regatta, navigating successfully through a tricky spot at the bay’s entrance. Lowndes credited his use of a spinnaker pole for the advantage, allowing for fewer manoeuvres compared to competitors who struggled with asymmetric spinnakers.
Lowndes expressed his enjoyment of the Super Cruiser format, highlighting the camaraderie and atmosphere of the event, conveniently located just a day from Sydney.
In second place, Geoff Hill’s Santa Cruz 72, Antipodes, made the most of the fresher breeze, while the Oatley family’s Wild Oats X solidified their status on the podium again.
Richard Freeborn and Alexandra Early brought their Lagoon 450F, Hawkeye, after travelling from the UK. They participated in the new multihull division at the regatta, enjoying the spectacle and community involvement. They finished a respectable second against Two Shea, a Lightwave 38 skippered by Nicholas Jones, despite their boat being equipped for comfortable long-term cruising.
The Bay Sailing Centre held a concurrent Bay Series with nearly 90 entries spread across various divisions. In this series, Ben Austin’s Shoobydoowah achieved three consecutive wins to lead the standings, followed closely by Graham Baxendale’s Unwarranted and Neil Long’s Dr Aero.
James Bevis dominated in the Finn class aboard Jimmy Wong, leading with just 4 points over his nearest competitors. In the OK Dinghy division, Brett Morris’s Slake held the top position with a score of 5 points, while various other boats remained within striking distance.
As the series heads into its concluding day, competitors are optimistic for more excellent sailing conditions, anticipating a 12-15 northeast breeze.
Results available at: https://www.sailportstephens.com.au/results/
Sail Port Stephens is supported by the NSW Government tourism agency Destination NSW, Port Stephens Council, Pantaenius Sail and Motor Yacht Insurance and subsidiary sponsors.
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