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Tried
and true Navy sailors, CAPT Paul Kinghorne and CAPT Rick
Longbottom plot a course for the finish line during the
recent National Tasar Dinghy Championships at Mordialloc.
Photo by Shane Baker.
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By FLGOFF
Simon Toal
In
true form, Melbourne weather turned out every season within one
week for the 30th Australian National Tasar Dinghy Championships,
held at Mordialloc Sailing Club earlier this year.
In
order to expose ADF members to sailing in larger fleets, the ADF
Sailing Association combined its national interservice team racing,
and its individual championship with the national competition.
The
regatta provided an excellent opportunity for sailors to hone
their skills against some of the best sailors in the country.
The
ADF contingent consisted of ten boats, ranging in skills from
advanced to novice, and after a busy week on the waters of Port
Phillip Bay, all members improved their skills in seamanship and
teamwork.
The
ADF teams performed with merit, with three teams earning top ten
places, two in the top five.
Best
team was the crew of Navy Captains Rick Longbottom and Paul Kinghorne,
gaining 4th place overall.
CMDR
Martin Linsley and FLTLT Nick Grey also performed well, taking
out the invitational race at the beginning of the regatta and
finishing 5th overall.
ABs
Wayne and Danielle Hale sailed to 7th place overall.
Port
Phillip Bay provided blustery conditions for the Interservice
team racing championship, testing the skills of the sailors and
entertaining spectators.
While
the majority of participants were new to the teams-racing format,
competitive action ensued. Navy’s dominance persisted however,
with Army second and Air Force third.
The
ADF will now enter four dinghies in the Tasar World Championship
at Vancouver, Canada in June. The next Tasar National Championship
will be held at Mission Beach Queensland in July 2004.
For
further information about ADF and Navy sailing opportunities,
email the following addresses: mark.jagers@defence.gov.au,
or Martin.Linsley@defence.
gov.au.
