The fourth pennant race of the Stawell Yatch Club series sponsored by the Nash Hotel social club attracted a good-sized fleet of fourteen boats, including four welcome refugees from the Horsham club.
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The Horsham participants are currently suffering from low water levels at their Green Lake base and were welcomed with open arms to the neighbouring competition.
Weather conditions were challenging and frustrating for most of the event due to a variable breeze shifting from southwest to southeast and beyond.
The lack of wind strength resulted in a race time of over two hours which was half an hour more than pennant race number three.
After dicing briefly with Andrew Pearce early on, George Grellet, long regarded as the local master sailor in light conditions managed to get in front and stay there for the duration of the race.
By about one third race distance the field had stretched out considerably.
The race was fragmented into three main groups with Grellet fending off Pearce and Ross Bennett at the front, another group of three Impulses further back and the rest of the field almost a leg behind.
Over the remaining distance, Bennett lost touch with the lead but recovered well to cross the line in second place while pennant three winner Pearce dropped back to fourth after Jan Ibs von Seht broke away from the second group and sailed past him.
The conditions didn’t agree with current title holder Johno Knight, but he still managed to escape the rear group and cross the line in fifth place adding to his second place result .
Mark Knights made sure he caught the attention of the Titanic award judges with a prolonged capsize recovery.
The tailenders made up ground over the last two legs resulting in a bunched finish for the second half of the fleet.
It was good to see two trailer sailors on the water for the race, with the advent of Mick Woolley in his 17 footer Eclipse to keep Leigh Edwards on his toes.
Although Woolley wasn’t impressed when Edwards stole his wind and sailed off in front after coming alongside to accept an offer of food.
Because the field remained relatively stretched out at the finish, handicap results almost mirrored the outright results, except Ibs von Seht claimed second place ahead of Bennett.
Congratulations to club handicapper George Grellet on a skilled performance to win the day followed by Jan Ibs von Seht after the handicaps were considered.
Club officials expressed thanks to members of the ‘Nash’ Hotel social club for their generous sponsorship of the series.
