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Clarence River Sailing Club
Saturday 19^th September 2026
Boyd Builders Warm Up Series – Race #3

Results

Photos

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Clarence River Sailing Club
Saturday 19^th September 2026
Boyd Builders Warm Up Series – Race #3

The Club’s uncanny run of good weather continued on Saturday with near perfect conditions for Race #3 of the 2026 Warm Up Series. The start of the season is notorious for either glassy drifters or boisterous westerlies but 2026 has been the exception. Crews have enjoyed three straight weeks of glorious spring weather and champagne sailing breezes. Saturday’s 8 to 12 knot easterly delivered just enough punch to ensure exciting off wind sailing without over-taxing crews on the tougher upwind legs. A gradual swing from ESE to ENE with regular fluctuations kept everyone on their toes and constant course and trim corrections were essential to stay in the game.

With carbon copy conditions from the previous week, officials again elected to sail the same course – ie Bridge, Marina, Convent, Marina, Rowing Club, Home. Monohulls completed two laps and the faster catamarans three. All boats started together and everyone was back ashore in a little over an hour. Remarkably fast sailing for a moderate breeze.

Veteran Laser skipper Karl Cooksley took out the prize in the Monohull Division. Timing the start perfectly, Karl bolted away from the line and led the way to the top mark with rivals Neil Burgess and Peter Zietsch in close pursuit. By the second reach mark all three had converged and remained locked together until the decisive final upwind leg. After rounding the bottom mark Karl chose to sail back across the river towards the southern bank and despite the strong incoming tide found some great breeze. Neil and Peter took their chances on the northern side hoping to find lifts off the bank and to avoid the opposing current. However it was Karl’s daring tactic that prevailed on the day giving him the advantage he needed to cross the finish with a winning margin of 40 seconds. Neil took out second place closely followed by Peter in third.

In the Catamaran Division, Hobie 18 crew Lindsay Cowan and Tansie Higgins zipped around the course unchallenged and completed the substantial three lap event in an amazing 58 minutes. Relishing in the bigger gusts this highly experienced crew kept their powerful craft at near full speed most of the way and made it look so easy. Arrow skipper Tony Rose was next across the line and with the nimble Arrow’s yardstick advantage was able to reclaim the prize from his Hobie rivals. Calculated margin was a crushing six minutes and a well-deserved win by Tony. Coming in third was Mosquito crew Greg Lee and Deb Michell who just keep getting faster with each race. A-Class skipper Ben Higgins took out a close fourth place and is rapidly learning the intricacies of this highly tuned and challenging class.

See the website for full results and photos.

A big thanks to race official Bob Fish and course controller Neil Burgess.

Sailing is on again next Saturday (26th) for Race #4 (final) of the Boyd Builders Warm Up Series.

Visitors or anyone wanting to have a go at sailing are most welcome to come along. Start time is around 1.00 pm each Saturday.

More details on our website. https://crsc.yachting.org.au

Results

Recorded Time	Elapsed Time	YS	YS Cr'd Time	Class	Skipper	Crew	Sail No

RACE 1
*Monos*	2 laps
0:53:30	00:50:30	114.0	00:44:18	Laser	K Cooksely		216171
0:54:10	00:51:10	114.0	00:44:53	Laser	N Burgess		151965
00:54:30	00:51:30	114.0	00:45:11	Laser	P Zietsch		143427

*Cats*	3 laps
01:05:15	01:02:15	88.5	01:10:20	Arrow	T Rose		1767
01:01:15	00:58:15	76.5	01:16:09	Hobie 18	L Cowan	T Higgins	44
01:09:45	01:06:45	78	01:25:35	Mosquito	G Lee	D Michell	1833
01:10:40	01:07:40	70	01:36:40	A' Class (Vint)	B Higgins		AUS854

Bob Fish officiating