The Yachtsman 2016-2017 RPAYC Yachtsman 2016-2017 | Page 19

REAR COMMODORE
OF CENTREBOARD REPORT
P
articipation in the Club’s Centreboard
Division has expanded once again throughout
the 2016/2017 season. Regularly racing each
Sunday afternoon the following participation
has been recorded in the Centreboard
Classes: Optimists (37), Lasers (39), 29ers (5), Weta (1)
and Finns (3).
RPAYC were also very strongly represented at
regattas, predominantly their respective National Titles
and World titles. RPAYC were often the most represented
Club in participation at the Optimist regattas. At the
National titles in Adelaide, RPAYC were runner up to
one of the local Clubs and at the State Titles RPAYC
won the Beashel Trophy for Club participation.
The highlight of the year was certainly Natasha
Bryant and Annie Wilmot for winning the Youth World
Championship in the 29er Class. All their hard work
in training and time on water has paid off. Tash and
Annie have now moved into the 49er FX class and have
commenced their campaign towards the Tokyo 2020
Olympics. The Centreboard Committee wishes them the
best of luck.
Martin Cross competed in the World Master Games
held in Auckland New Zealand in April 2017 and came
away with a Gold Medal in the Weta Trimaran fleet.
Fletcher Walters competed in the Optimist World
Championship in Pattaya, Thailand where only the
top five competitors from each country may compete.
Fletch qualified for the Gold Fleet and finished a very
respectable 36th overall out of the 281 competitors.
In the National events all held in Adelaide, the
following Club sailors featured in their respective classes:
• Fletcher Walters placed 3rd in Optimist Open
Fleet and has qualified for the Worlds Team in
Thailand July 2017.
• Daniel Links placed 10th in Optimist Open Fleet.
• Tash and Annie 3rd in 29er and re-qualified for the
Youth Worlds later this year.
• Zac Barnabas
and Jesse
Dransfield 7th
in 29er Youth
Nationals.
• Nathan Bryant
9th in Laser 4.7
Nationals and
6th in Laser 4.7
Youth Nationals.
In the Optimist
NSW State Titles
held at South Lake
Macquarie Amateur
Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie, RPAYC were the most
represented Club and also won the Beashel Perpetual
Trophy for the highest placed sa