MAGNETIC CREW A FORCE T O BE RECKONED WITH

A GROUP of Townsville sailors have cleaned up at the recent Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta ( AWKR) at the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron in St Kilda.

The AWKR is the only allfemale keelboat regatta in Australia and the 2017 fleet comprised 27 keelboats and 171 sailors from all over Australia, with teams from New Zealand and all states of Australia, including three from Townsville

The Townsville Yacht Club ( TYC) contingent, also known as “Magnetic Maidens”, travelled to St Kilda a week early to train on unfamiliar yachts in unfamiliar conditions before the regatta got under way.

Renee Cordingley, Donna Heath and Judi Marshall skippered the three Townsville crews at the prestigious event as they all raced in the division two S80 Class.

The final results and bragging rights for the Townsville women came down to the positions in the final race, with Cordingley’s Magnetic Maidens East nailing the start but losing a lot of ground on the upwind leg.

With some great teamwork Magnetic Maidens East did enough in the final race to win their division, while the Marshall- skippered Magnetic Maidens South stood tall to win the final race of the series.

All three of the Townsville crews won awards with Magnetic Maidens South finishing first in the IRC category, Magnetic Maidens North claiming second in AMS class and Magnetic Maidens East winning in AMS and the S80 series.

Marshall’s crew were also awarded the most improved award.

Club teammate Jennifer Telfer was also honoured over the weekend, with the tireless TYC member claiming the Rohan Brownlee Leadership and Endeavour Award for her work promoting women in sailing.

Next up for the club is the inaugural TYC Girls and Ladies in Sailing Regatta from August 4- 6 at the Townsville Yacht Club.