12:21 AM Mon 12 Jan 2009 GMT
The coastal town of Eden in southern NSW was a buzz on this fine morning with the families of 72 Flying Elevens here to contest the 1824T Flying Eleven 2009 Australian Championships.
Day 1 of the regatta commenced at 8am with the traditional measurement of boats, amongst a symphony of Bellbirds, sunny skies and a gentle breeze of 10kts from the north. The setting at Twofold Bay Yacht Club was just like paradise; yes - a true 'Garden of Eden' you could say!
The entire precinct of Quarantine Bay was brimming with youthful exuberance as the crews unpacked their boats and circuited the various measurement stations at the club as well as the very picturesque adjoining Quarantine Bay Cottages grounds where most of the boats were scattered.
All but one cottage has been booked at these wonderful premises and the friendly hosts Marge and Mike Snijder have allowed the regatta to overrun their foreshore lawns and beach, supplying the fleet with a number of boat washing facilities and BBQ areas. You couldn't want for a better place to prepare for the battles ahead on the full-bodied waters off the coast of Eden.
Being an off-shore regatta, the briefing took a little longer than regular, with TBYC's Roger Mathews Commodore and Doug Comery imparting their wealth of local knowledge to the sailors, and Peter Moor who had just flown in from Belmont NSW where has was doing the RO duties for the A Class cats World Champs.
The weak southerly expected for the afternoon stayed away, with a north-west storm cell skirting the bay as the crews left the beach for their Invitation Race in a 3-7kts of north and west oscillating breeze coupled now light rain. After a few days of nor-easters, the swell was still in at Twofold Bay with most of the crews being able to surf across to the starting line on the south-western shore. Bumpy, but none of the big breeze commonplace for the waters here at Eden.
Once the storm cell had past by, the first start found many OCS and a general recall was called. With time getting on, the PRO Peter Moor introduced the I flag for the second start only to find almost half the fleet OCS, so another general was produced.
Another I flag for the third start did not deter the over-enthusiastic fleet of 72, so the Black Flag came out of hiding to make sure that the PRO meant business.
After all, our Welcome Night function at the TBYC clubhouse was scheduled to start at 6pm, and we were still attempting to get away at 5pm!
With a shortened course to one work more that a triangle, Avalon Sailing Club swamped the podium with 1369 Tom Tom - Tom Koerner and Joshua Ponton ASC leading team mates 1348 SS Squil Wil Coxon and Oliver Bell ASC and the newest boat in the fleet 1372 Rolled Oats II Damien James and Oliver Parker ASC over the line.
Racing is scheduled to start at 11am on day 2, with two races planned and a 20+kts NE heading back into Twofold Bay.
It was a great start to the regatta and it is going to be hard to leave in a week's time when the final day of the regatta arrives.
by David Price
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