AWKR: OUR RACING LADIES

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S KEELBOAT REGATTA

by Di Schwerdt

This was the 30th Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (AWKR) and was held at St Kilda in Melbourne from 10-13 June. It was wonderful to return to this well-loved annual women’s event after a Covid-enforced absence of two years. Expected to be a scaled down version of previous AWKRs, with 24 boats in 2022 rather than the 40 boats entered in 2019, this year’s regatta did not fail to challenge and delight those who turned up to race. It had all the elements of a regatta that could please keen competitors from those with a wide range of sailing knowledge and experience to those with less, crewing a diverse fleet of competitive boats, some owned and some lent by generous members of the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (RMYS). Women sailors from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania faced off for the six race regatta on the waters of Port Phillip Bay. Close to thirty women split over four teams represented South Australia. One boat was trailered over to Melbourne, Janet Thornley’s Balancing Act 2. The majority of South Australians were on borrowed boats: Mrs Overnewton, Taniwha (recently sold round to RMYC),Vice Versa and Pocahontas (a J24 last minute substitute for Taniwha). The Welcome and Briefing on the Friday before the regatta indicated that the weather would be challenging on the following two days to say the least. Indeed the first day of racing initially looked doubtful but the Race Officer, Lou Hutton, determined we would make a start and in the end successfully ran three races back to back in winds that gusted between 25 and 30 knots. The weather was rough and the wind bitterly cold, funnelling straight up from the Antarctic. Two boats experienced man-overboard events, both with successful retrievals, and the Boat Buoys were quick to help with the relatively small number of gear mishaps that occurred ensuring that everyone managed to keep racing despite the conditions. There was much to talk about that first day over the post-race complimentary sausage BBQ, wine and beer put on for competitors and supporters. Everyone was keen to share what had been an exhilarating day on the water. The Taniwha crew had been looking forward to sailing on the Farr 11.6 again, especially her previous owner and skipper Barbara Parker, so we were disappointed when engine failure on the Friday meant she was out of the regatta. The RMYS made a huge effort to find a replacement. Most boats in the regatta were fully crewed but could squeeze in an extra one or two. There were also fewer boats for loan this year as some had been sold during the Covid lockdowns in Melbourne and others had not yet been prepped for racing. Nevertheless a J24, Pocahontas, became available overnight after the first day of racing and on Day Two, six of us, some CYCSA and some RSAYS members, leapt on board: Lisa Bettcher (skipper), Di Schwerdt (main), Robyn Reidel (headsail trim), Carolyn Ramsay (mast and kite) and Kirsty Hammett (bow). We had a quick lesson in rigging it then, as rapidly as possible, got out on the water for a bit of practice with the intention of competing in the second race of the day. The temptation to get straight into racing was hard to ignore. Lisa urged us toward the start boat area then suggested we may as well practise on the course. That was a yes!

We headed to the start boat, registered and just made the start line for the first race of the day. Delighted to be on the water we raced a windward /leeward followed by a long race, yes, towards the back of the fleet, but improving every minute. Five of us had never sailed a J24 and six on the boat was a bit of a squeeze. Used to bigger boats, we soon discovered the fun of competing in a smaller version of aquatic vessel, one that seemed more intimately affected by wind and water and by the second race of the day we had settled into a team that worked with the boat and each other very happily. The final and sixth race on Monday was easy sailing by comparison with light 2-7 knot winds that called for the judicious use of what was a very small spinnaker to pass a few boats on our way to the finish line and a not too shabby end to the day’s racing. In short, we had a ball! Thank you RMYS for the deft work locating a boat for us and thanks Lisa for doing such a great job skippering the J-newbies.

JANET THORNLEY ON BALANCING ACT 2 Day One of the AWKR was a case of survival for the crew of Balancing Act 2. With the winds consistently gusting into the high 20s it was definitely not our conditions. We had our one and only reef in the main and the decision made by myself and the crew was to just get around the course safely. The spinnaker did make an appearance on the second leg of Race One but after a broach and dunking one of the crew, it did not return. All the demons of losing the mast in a previous AWKR regatta were expelled that day. We managed to complete three races and that in itself was an achievement. Day Two dawned with slightly more favourable wind conditions and we chose to go with a full main. Unfortunately we had one very wet spinnaker which hampered us in our downwind legs. Melbourne was true to form with four seasons in one day and I remember taking my sunglasses off when it was so misty it was hard to see the course at times. By the long race we had started to get into the groove surfing joyfully on the reaching legs and despite not flying a spinnaker we managed to surf past a few boats. I might have to think about adding an asymmetric spinnaker to the inventory. After the race the spinnaker went back to the thankfully large apartment to dry out. The next day brought very light and variable conditions. We were quick off the mark but then we were all recalled due to a wind shift. Our next start was not quite as good but we were off and racing. We had some spinnaker pole issues on the first lap so the spinnaker was delayed in being deployed but apart from that everything felt it was finally going our way. We were working well as a team and it was good to finish on a high. Overall, we had a great time and enjoyed the excellent camaraderie that is always part of AWKR. A big thank you to the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron for putting together a fantastic regatta. Another big thank you goes to the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria who provided us with the facilities to launch and retrieve our boat and made us feel very welcome. We will be back next year!

SOPHIE DAVIDSON ON VICE VERSA The Adelaide University Sailing Club was proud to send a team to this year’s AWKR. The team consisted of skipper, Sophie Davidson, and crew Sarah Carragher, Georgia North, Maia Hodge and Julia Warren, who first sailed together only a month before the regatta. Several training sessions and a few races in the Winter Series in South Australia helped build confidence and our skills grew quickly as we settled into our roles on the boat. Georgia and Maia took on bow, Sarah found her usual spot in the pit and Julia worked the jib and kite. After sailing Vice Versa from its home in Sandringham to the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron the team began to get the feel of the conditions for the week. Choppy waves and gusting winds meant we were in for a fun (and freezing) regatta. Day One was a huge challenge with heavy winds and huge waves. We worked mostly on keeping the boat upright and our crew safe. Back at the Yacht Squadron, drenched and wind-swept, we warmed up with a hot shower and sausage sizzle. By the second day our confidence was up and we had thawed out after the previous day. The team managed to climb up the leaderboard, scoring a 7th and a 4th place. The longer inshore race on Day Two was certainly a highlight for us with some fierce competition across the finish line and some singing to keep us warm. The final day brought a welcome contrast with light winds and an early finish. In the lighter winds we were able to think strategy and finally launch the kite so we bagged two 4th places. Overall the team was very proud of our performance winning the ‘Most Improved Award’ at the closing presentations. We are very thankful to John Neville who lent us his wonderful boat, Vice Versa, and to the Boat Buoys for their support on the dock. Many thanks also to our Commodore Blake Lawrenson who attended the regatta as our support crew. Next year we hope to return to the regatta with two teams having seen just how beneficial the experience was for our crew. The newly announced South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) in October will be another opportunity for the team to get back together and bring our improved racing skills back to the South Australian stage!

MARY-ANN ON MRS OVERNEWTON Three CYCSA members, Kerry Parker, Jo Pilmore and I were looking forward to our fourth AWKR. We had sailed previously together as part of the CYCSA’s School’s Out crew when I was on the helm and Kerry and Jo on bow. Now we were combining with some RSAYS sailors to sail on the St Kilda based Bavaria Match 38, Mrs Overnewton. For our skipper, Helen Willmer, it was her eighth regatta on Mrs O and we were very excited to be joining her crew. It was looking to be a very different regatta from our first five years ago when we had very light airs and started the first race becalmed with the breeze only kicking in on the second half of the last race. This year, with a forecast of 25-30 knots for the first two days, we were concerned we might not get the series in. On Saturday morning at the pre-race briefing the Race Officer, Lou Hutton, advised we would be heading out in pretty robust conditions, more like 20-25 knots, and hopefully we would get a race in. It turned out to be one of the most testing day’s racing most of us had encountered. The format for Race One was a three lap windward/leeward course of 1.2nm for Division One and two laps for Division Two. In those winds and seas it was fairly manic crew work. Having not raced together as a crew before we did well and couldn’t believe it had only taken an hour. After a break waiting for Division Two to finish not far behind, the starting sequence had begun as we raced to the start line and we were off for another three laps with the wind building. It’s difficult to describe how busy those races were. Kerry did a fantastic job on the bow supported by Jenny Geytenbeek and Amelia Clement on mast, so many hoists and so close together, and our least experienced crew, Nicole Mead, assisting them with whatever was needed. Jo Pilmore had moved from bow to strings and she was great there with her experience assisting the bow crew. Helen Kearney flew the kite beautifully and helped with headsail trim. Amelia was on brace and heady trim and also had the hardest job of sewer rat in rough seas sorting and packing the kite lap after lap. Jacqui Cole, on main and also tactician, was excellent at keeping us all working well and getting around the course. Helen Willmer, as always, was incredible on the helm. Her conditions were more testing than ours as she was feeling really unwell. This AWKR I was very happy to be off the helm and part of the crew on heady trim, back-up for main, and grinding winches wherever necessary. We were all very tired and relieved to get through the second race. I’m sure, like most crews out there that day, we could not believe to hear we were about to go into sequence for Race Three, but it was true! Away we went again, race to the start, beat upwind, hoist spinnaker, drop headsail, gybe kite - poor Amelia, sort again - and again, and again. We were delighted to hear that the owner and Mrs O’s regular crew were very impressed with how we had sailed. It was certainly our best day of the regatta with a second place in Races One and Three, leaving us in second place overall at the end of Day One. 2EXTREME was ahead of us on points and they subsequently went on to win the regatta. We also picked up the Committee Boat-awarded ‘Start of the Day’. Sunday was still windy and two races were run, another W/L and a long race (always a possibility in this regatta, but we hadn’t experienced one previously). It was nice to finally have some time to relax between manoeuvres and it was a lovely sail with two long downwind runs in somewhat surfy seas. Day Three, in contrast, was very light with no wind, gusting to very little. Race Six was run early before it glassed out. Overall as a crew we had a fabulous time. I’m particularly proud of the way we sailed on Day One, backing each other up in very robust conditions and achieving a great result. On behalf of the crew I would like to thank our Skipper, Helen Willmer. She did a remarkable job very much ‘under the weather’ herself, helming in trying conditions. All the South Australian sailors were absolutely delighted when she was awarded the AWKR Leadership and Endeavour Perpetual Trophy for her contribution to women’s sailing over 12 years at this event. Well done Helen! A huge thanks also to Mrs O’s owner, Les Norton, for his generosity in lending his yacht to South Australian crews for the last 10 years. Regattas like this can’t happen with interstate crews without the generosity of local boat owners entrusting them to us. We certainly want to return together to sail on her again next year.

SAWKR

our own regatta coming up in October

There is no doubt that AWKR has stimulated the growth of women’s participation in racing throughout Australia. Since its inception the event has increased in numbers and influence. At this point in time several similar events have been spawned in a number of states and South Australia’s own upcoming Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) was officially announced during the weekend in Melbourne. There was a great deal of interest in this event to be hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia and scheduled for 1-3 October 2022 and we have every hope that the SAWKR will become a popular fixture in South Australia’s sailing calendar. See the SAWKR website for more detailed information regarding the regatta: cycsa.com.au/sawkr/