TEAKLE CLASSIC ADELAIDE LINCOLN

The 71st Teakle Classic Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race and Regatta took place in February on the back of a year of disappointments that saw the cancellation of the 2020 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and other major sailing events around the world. In the face of such event uncertainties, the Port Lincoln Yacht Club, with a great deal of foresight and planning flexibility, still managed to deliver a fantastic week of sailing that satisfied COVID-19 regulations and remained as competitive as it always has been. Strong support from the sponsors, particularly the Teakle family, contributed to the success of the event and the town and its yacht club welcomed us royally. Boat numbers were down this year. Ichi Ban, from Sydney, was the only boat from across borders to arrive. Up to twelve Victorian boats had intended to come but having started to make their way round to Adelaide, they were forced to return home when border closure and mandatory 14-day quarantine orders rendered their participation impossible. This year’s 150 nm race over showcased a quartet of fiercely competitive front-runners: Ichi Ban, recently named as Number One Yacht in the world, was skippered by Matt Allen; Another Hooligan, Nick George’s TP52; Geoff Boettcher’s new TP52 Secret Mens Business; and Keith Finch’s Pirate, skippered by Rob Human. Ichi Ban took line honours and a first on IRC finishing in 11 hours, 59 minutes and 9 seconds. Another Hooligan was second on IRC with an elapsed time of 12 hours 28 minutes and 11 seconds, narrowly beating Secret Mens Business by 14 seconds in a tightly campaigned finish. The sunny start in Adelaide, on a flat sea and with good wind, seemed to confirm that the fleet was in for a champagne run. An increase in wind speed and wave height was expected at the bottom of Yorke Peninsular but nothing too serious. The first leg began promisingly with most boats making good time towards Marion Reef, our first mark. But on the western side of Gulf St Vincent, before the fleet had turned the corner, the wind came in early and the sea state changed so that some crews, not quite prepared for the drenching that followed, were left scrambling to reef down and don wet weather gear. The weather continued to build with wind gusts of up to 30 knots. Of the twenty-one starters, seven did not finish. Venom, the only multihull in the race, was an early casualty, followed by six of the monohulls, including One for the Road, Ocean Hawk (when Skipper Steve Emery injured his shoulder), Golden Cowrie, Taniwha (with a MOB event with a successful retrieval, a snapped staunchion and lifeline damage), The Tribe (with a ripped mainsail, held tentatively by the leach cord and then reefed only to rip again) and School’s Out (with gear failure when a borrowed main ripped out of the mast). In such conditions the passage across the foot of Yorke Peninsula was less than pleasant and it was a relief to change direction at Cape Spencer and enjoy a great spinnaker run north-west up Spencer Gulf, past Dangerous Reef, round Donnington and into Boston Bay to be warmly welcomed at the finish with cold beers and Teakle wine. Hot showers were followed by celebratory drinks and post-mortems in the Marina Hotel as the remaining fleet continued to cross the finish line. With accommodation booked and paid for, many of those who were not able to complete the race drove or flew over anyway, arriving in time to enjoy the Sunday presentations and festivities at the Port Lincoln Yacht Club while also negotiating for positions on other boats for the regatta. Very few were disappointed.

Dianne Schwerdt

Club Team Trophy winners: Nick George, Julian Newton and Derek Morrison with race & regatta sponsor Ben Teakle IRC: Ichi Ban, Another Hooligan, Secret Mens Business

PHS Div 1: Another Hooligan, Game On 2, Ichi Ban PHS Div 2: Kinetic Energy, Born to Mentor, Lincoln Mentor

AMS Div 1: Ichi Ban, Another Hooligan, Secret Mens Business AMS Div 2: Lincoln Mentor, Born to Mentor, Kinetic Energy

PHS TEAM TROPHY CYCSA Another Hooligan Nick George, Game On 2 Julian Newton, and Sintara Derek Morrison