26th March, 2022. Helley Hansen Women’s Challenge, 2022

Women’s crew who were registered to race arrived early to Manly Yacht Club to rig their own boats for this important race, together with our male helpers who had been asked to help. Race organiser, Ken was much in evidence, along with Denis and Michael helping with boat rigging, Francois, Jim, Jeremy looking after Charlie’s Chariot, and Bruce, Pam and photographer, Margie, in the Race Officer Boat, Carlysle.

Crews for this morning were: Nola and Sophie in Woody, Jackie and Caroline in Alex, Roz and Macie in Black Swan, Lisa and Leah in Eli D., Helene and Libby in Ralph Newman, Ragnhild and Marren in Vin, Catherine and Katie in Dolly Wallis.

Helen was the Registrar, and Eli the chef, left up on deck to carry out their duties. Once the boats were rigged to everyone’s satisfaction, they were launched, crewed up and set sail for the Western side of Manly Cove to get going with the race. The breeze was a very light South Easterly, demanding a short course so that three races could be run in the time allowed. There was plenty of jostling at the start, but some boats had trouble getting over that start line, leading to a race for positions at the front, and a different race for positions at the end of the fleet.
By the end of the third race, the positions were established, with:

In order from 7th place:

A wonderful series, thanks so much to Bruce and Pam, all of the riggers, the boat skippers for Carlysle and Charlie’s Chariot and all of the ladies who entered for this race.