ROGERS TIPPED TO LEAD FLEET IN DRAGON TITLES
THE Tasmanian international Dragon championship is being hosted by Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania on the River Derwent on Saturday-Sunday.
Now in its 93rd year, the classic Dragon class yacht remains strong throughout the Australian and world sailing scene with major events held around the globe each year.
The annual Tasmanian championship precedes the Australasian championship to be held in Sydney next January when the cream of Australia’s one-design keelboat sailors will vie for the prestigious Prince Philip Cup.
This weekend’s fleet boasts several former holders of the Prince Philip Cup including Tasmania’s Nick Rogers whose number of wins is in double figures, along with David Graney and Hugh Wardrop also from Tasmania, and Sandy Anderson from Western Australia.
To round out the Prince Philip Cup connection, the race officer for the event and leading the race management team is RYCT’s Steven Shield, also a winner of the coveted trophy.
While Rogers’ track record, along with his regular crew Leigh Behrens and Australian ILCA7 representative Sam King, suggests that his will be the boat to beat, Graney is teaming up with his PPC-winning crew Murray Jones and joined by young gun Finlay Cooper and will be serious competition.
West Australian Anderson is again making the journey east from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club to take on the locals with her crew of Caroline Gibson and Hobart’s Mike Wilkinson.
Representing Victoria’s Royal Brighton and Metung Yacht clubs is Dragon stalwart Terry Grundy with Clive Bury and Alan Watkins, a crew experienced in both lakes sailing and the lumpy conditions found on Port Phillip Bay.
Four races are planned for each day with the final results likely to be in play in this closely matched fleet right up to Sunday afternoon.