Pro Choice Series Serves Up Some Surprise

The Pro Choice Pacer Racing series for October was an exciting day for racing and provided the WAIS sailors with plenty of action.

We were lucky to have two members of WAIS staff join us and see how much fun our sport can be! They were served up the full dose with a 25 knot Easterly giving them a steep learning curve. Racing was held at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, and both our new campaigners experienced an obligatory capsize as well as some close races.

We had four races and a Medal Race counting for double points, and Steven Thomas, the dual World Champion in the 29er class sailing with 470 helm Stacey Omay won the day.

Their consistency and balanced racing approach allowed them to gain when others around them made small errors. Mark Whittington sailing with young Opti sailor Lachy Gilmour came second after some controversy in the final race with umpires having to solve things post race.

We had 10 boats racing and it was a racing session with many situations created to push and test the athletes in the game of sailing.

This weekend is the Ronstan Indian Ocean Classic with over 100 boats entered and it will be a good racing series hosted by Fremantle Sailing Club.

I willunfortunately miss the regatta having to attend a coaches and athlete camp for the Australian Sailing Development Squad over the weekend, in Canberra.

– Belinda Stowell