Family making waves
THE Sandy Bay Sailing Club in Hobart has a proud reputation of producing many state, national and world champion sailors over the years i n i nternational one-design dinghy classes and has sent strong teams to compete overseas.
Thirty- one years ago t wo young club members, Stuart Hamilton and David Connor, won the Fireball world championships – and this year two of Stuart’s three talented sailing sons will be members of Austral i an teams contesting world championships.
Silas Hamilton, 16 and his crew Ethan Galbraith will be one of three Tasmanian crews going to the International Cadet World titles at Weymouth, England, in August. The pair fini shed fourth i n the Cadet nationals in Victoria in January this year.
Hugo Hamilton, 13, will be the sole Tasmanian at the International Optimist world championships in Argentina in October and was chosen for the national team after placing fourth at the nationals in Victoria in January.
Silas, Hugo and their younger brother Rupert, 11, turned on an impressive family sailing perf or mance at l ast weekend’s Crown Series Bellerive Regatta with Silas winning the International Cadet class, Hugo win- ning the International Optimist event and Rupert placing third in the Optimists.
Hugo, who won s i x of t he s e v e n Optimist r a c e s , was awarded t he Bellerive Yacht Club trophy for the outstanding performance by a dinghy sailor at the regatta.
He will compete in the Tasmanian Optimist championships being run this weekend by the Sandy Bay Sailing Club.
A fleet of between 50 and 60 is expected, making it probably the largest one- design champ i onship fleet ever seen in Tasmania. Meanwhile, Stuart Hamilton also competed in the Crown Series which attracted a fleet of more than 100 keelboats and sports boats.
He raced aboard the Tamar Yacht Club entry Believe in the Racing 1 division notching up a second and third placing on the final day of racing.
TODAY marks the start of a big week for the southern Tasmanian t ownship of Cygnet which is celebrating the 150th anniversary of another milestone event – the Cygnet Regatta.
In January 1863, more than 800 people t ravelled to Port Cygnet by naval ship and ferry for the first regatta which, in the end, was reduced to a program of rowing races because of a lack of entries in sailing events.
Things have changed. The regatta, now r un by t he Port Cygnet Sailing Club and traditionally held over the March long weekend, attracts one of the biggest fleets of keelboats, classic boats and off-the-beach classes in the state
And this year, for the 150th celebration, the week’s boating will be supported by a big program of community events.
Sailing races today and tomorrow will include Pacer ding hy r a c i ng a nd Austr a l i a n Sharpie championships as well as harbour races for Derwent and Etchell class yachts.
Next Thursday and Friday there will be radio yacht racing and day one of events for classic boats.
Events today will culminate in the Regatta Ball in the Cygnet Town Hall.
Also t oday, t he Cygnet St Ayles Community skiff will be launched and named.
Next Saturday, March 8, more than 100 boats are expected to join a passage race from Kettering to Cygnet which will be j oined by three Tall Ships, Lady Nelson, Yukon and Rhona H for the arrival at Port Cygnet.
On Sunday, March 9, rowing races for craft from dinghies to whaleboats will start at 9am. The Pacer dinghy championships will continue and Dragon boats will race during the morning, culminating in a spectacular parade of sail of gaff- r i gged boats and the visiting Tall Ships.
The traditional Cygnet Regatta Race around the harbour will start at 2pm. A COUPLE of dates to mark down:
• Tomorrow at the Derwent Sailing Squadron, Marieville Esplanade, the club will run its regular car boot sale from 10am to 1pm.
Cars or tables can be booked for $10 by ringing 6223 1977 and donations for the club’s jumble sale are also welcome.
• Early notice of the end-ofseason, two-race Barnes Bay regatta on Saturday, April 5.
Entry forms available from the Derwent Sailing Squadron or online at www.dssinc.org.au