Nick Jerwood prevailed in extreme conditions
Western Australian DF State Championships Deliver Two Days of Contrasting Racing
The Western Australian DF State Championships produced two very different days of racing at South of Perth Yacht Club over the weekend of 19–20 September, with strong winds, rain and high-speed DF65 racing on Saturday followed by a testing day of light and shifting conditions for the DF95 Championship on Sunday.
Hosted by Wanderers Radio Sailing Club, the weekend attracted 19 DF65s and 25 DF95s, including visiting Queensland sailor Gary Metcalfe. Across two days of vastly different conditions, both championships produced close racing and title battles that remained alive deep into their respective events.
Saturday's forecast promised winds of 15–20 knots with gusts well above that range, and there was little doubt when competitors arrived that the forecast was going to prove accurate.
Race Officer Sean Wallis established a course within the more protected marina area at South of Perth Yacht Club, allowing racing to get underway on schedule despite the challenging conditions.
With C rigs fitted, the 19-boat DF65 fleet provided spectacular racing from the outset. The relatively confined course area kept the boats in close proximity, with busy starts and mark roundings, while the strong breeze produced some exceptionally fast downwind sailing.
Nick Jerwood made an immediate statement, winning the opening three races and quickly establishing himself as the sailor to beat. His early charge came to an abrupt halt in Race 4 when gear failure resulted in a poor score.
Janet Jerwood had meanwhile quietly put together an extremely consistent opening to the championship. After finishing second, third and fifth in the first three races, she capitalised with consecutive victories in Races 4 and 5 to take over the championship lead.
Visiting Queenslander Gary Metcalfe was also firmly in the contest after opening with two seconds and a third, before he too suffered gear problems in Race 4.
Nick recovered and was back at the front in Race 6, once again putting himself into the overall lead. But the championship remained far from settled. A poor result later in the series allowed Janet to regain the lead after Race 10, while Metcalfe continued to remain firmly in the mix.
As the day progressed the breeze moderated sufficiently for competitors to move from C rigs into B rigs, but conditions remained challenging. Rain and squalls regularly swept across the course and changes in pressure ensured there was rarely an opportunity to relax.
Gear reliability became a significant factor. The combination of strong winds, fast boats and repeated racing took its toll, with numerous competitors suffering equipment failures during the day. Keeping a boat on the water and performing consistently became almost as important as outright speed.
Despite the difficult conditions, the standard of sailing remained high. With 19 boats competing on a relatively compact course, competitors were frequently only metres apart and there was little opportunity to recover from a poor start or a mistake at a mark.
There were plenty of sailors showing they had the pace to compete near the front. Grant Turnbull took a race victory, while Mark Lovelady also found his way to the front of the fleet. Peter Buchanan was another to feature strongly at different stages of the championship.
Behind the leading group, one of the closest battles of the day developed through fifth to eighth overall. Peter Buchanan eventually secured fifth with 86 points, Grant Turnbull and Barry Glazier finished tied on 87, and Mark Lovelady was just one point further back on 88. After 15 races, only two points separated four positions.
At the front, Nick Jerwood eventually took control of the championship. After the interruptions to his early challenge, he finished the series with a remarkable run of five consecutive race wins to secure the Western Australian DF65 State Championship with a nett score of 22 points.
Gary Metcalfe's consistency earned him second overall on 31 points, while Janet Jerwood completed the podium in third on 38 after playing a major part in the championship battle throughout the day.
The demanding conditions could easily have made for a difficult day, but the camaraderie within the fleet was evident throughout, contributing to an excellent atmosphere despite the rain, squalls and numerous other challenges on the course.
DF65 State Championship – Top Five
- Nick Jerwood – 22 points
- Gary Metcalfe – 31 points
- Janet Jerwood – 38 points
- Andrew Donkin – 60 points
- Peter Buchanan – 86 points
Janet Jerwood looking justifiably pleased with her 3rd place medal
Gary Metcalf parties on the inside. A worthy second place result.
Nick Jerwood is a force with a DF65! Winner again!
Winners all, with DF Sailing Chairman Andrew Donkin holding the heavy hardware
