The Stawell Yacht Club’s eighth pennant event for the season was decided on Sunday, in a race characterised by strong winds gusting to over 25 knots that favoured only the brave.
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After a confusing start, heavy weather specialist Johno Knight jumped to the lead and was never headed.
In an impressive display of upwind boat handling, at one point he opened up a gap of almost a course leg.
His nearest challengers were Andrew Pearce and Ross Bennett.
These two managed to regain some time on the downwind legs, but not enough to threaten the lead of Knight.
Knight rocketed across the final shy reach leg in a flurry of spray befitting a jet ski.
On a course that would take about an hour to complete on an average day, Knight finished in just 37 minutes.
Knight was followed by Pearce who was a further two minutes behind, then Bennett another minute further back.
Knight has been in good form since the Christmas break having won the last two pennent events.
In his last start it took him 40 minutes to conquer, but himself and Bennent led from start to finish.
Mark Knights was fourth and current club champion Jan Ibs von Seht, who was trialing some new lightweight footwear, brought up the rear after gaining triple points in the Titanic award.
Senior sailors Roger Spratt and Peter Knight were both non-finishers, and George Grellet wisely chose duties in the start boat.
He was assisted by new member Chris Fitzgerald.
