2025 Allen Flying 11 National Championships at St George Sailing Club after Day 2
by Jon Drummond, Flying 11 Association of Australia 16 Jan 10:23 UTC
14-19 January 2025
The 2024/25 Allen Flying 11 National Championships has kicked off with two amazing days of racing. Host club, St George Sailing Club, have presented competitors with awesome conditions on Botany Bay.
Forty entrants representing nine clubs have enjoyed close racing and amazing rides over the past two days, all with their eye on Scratch and Handicap honours and the all-important Champion Club Trophy.
Day 1 saw the racing start with an invitation race followed by 2 heats of the championships. The day started off with a light Easterly breeze that slowly built and went into the Northeast throughout the day. The outgoing tide was providing plenty of headaches on the start line with many competitors crowding the pin end in the hope of getting into the left shift of the impending sea breeze.
Heat 1 saw Lachlan and Alan Jansen, sailing Cookie Monster 1413, sail a great race to take honours from their Manly 16s club mates, Levi and Noah Windust on Ghostrider 1410. Rounding out the top 3 were defending champions Ash Napper and Taj Bridge on Brace 1338. Ghostrider also claimed the win on handicap.
With the breeze building to 12-15kt for heat 2, Cookie Monster continued the winning form with a commanding win from Ondalay 1401, Jadon Morris and Elliot Fisher, from the Belmont 16s. Sophie Drummond and Harriet Skelton on Waverunner 1393, also from the Belmont 16s, took 3rd place. Fred Attrill and Emma Tallis on Zephyr 1388, from Avalon SC, took the handicap win.
With an approaching east coast low set to play havoc with the last half of the regatta the Race Committee elected to run 3 races on Day 2 with a favourable forecast of 8-12kt North Easterly's building to 15-20kts as the day wore on.
Heat 3 saw defending champions Napper and Bridge on Brace show their skill and smarts with a great win to take both line and handicap honours. Belmont crew Hamish Skelton and Phoebe Pilgrim on Cheeky 1327 sailed a great race to come in 2nd, while Manly 16s entrant Harrison Thomas with recently crowned Australian 13ft Skiff Champion, Heidi Bates crewing, finished 3rd on Don't Worry 1384.
The breeze continued to build for Heat 4 with continuing headaches on the start line with RO Steve Iles going for the "U" flag in attempt to get the fleet away cleanly. Brace continued its great day taking line honours from Don't Worry, while Aidan Nosworthy and Andy Fisher on Up2NoGood 1352, from Belmont 16s, finished in 3rd. Harvey Windust and Rose Harris on Prancing Horse 1409, from Manly 16s, claimed the handicap win.
By Heat 5 the sea breeze was well and truly kicking with 16-20 kts and a building seaway. The wing mark was particularly entertaining with plenty of thrills and spills. It's a testament to the skill right through the fleet that there were minimal retirements. Ash Napper and Taj Bridge on 1338 Brace continued their domination of the day with another commanding win over Up2NoGood with Waverunner coming in 3rd. Waverunner also nabbed the win on handicap.
A fantastic Day 2 sees Napper and Bridge on Brace with a good lead on 11 points while Nosworthy and Fisher on Up2NoGood sit in 2nd on 21 points and Lachlan and Alana Jansen on Cookie Monster are in 3rd on 23 points. In the handicap stakes Ella Sangster and Holly Herbetston in Snowflake 1408, from MH16SC, are topping the point score on 41 points followed by Hard Drive 1252, Spencer Ward and Theodore Wilson of HKSC, on 59 points. Lane Cove 12SC entrant, Sudden Impact 1333, Aubrey Webster and Lachlan Frearson, are sitting in 3rd on 68 points.
The strong southerly winds have seen no racing today. Racing is set to resume on Saturday, whilst the championship concludes on Sunday. The host club, St George SC, has provided incredible facilities, amazing regatta support and a tremendous push to increase participation in junior sailing. Long-time Flying 11 major sponsor, Allen, have cemented themselves as a supplier of premium sailing hardware with a passion for giving back to the sport providing amazing support. CST Composites, SailRacing, Liros ropes and MC Sails have also thrown their support behind this incredible junior class that are exciting boats to sail and a have vibrant social scene for young sailors.
See the full results here.