The NT Championships took place over 25 – 26 July at Darwin Sailing Club sporting some of the season’s best weather with a great mix of racing conditions.

There were 5 divisions represented across the two day event. Saturday started out quite light with a strong outgoing tide, creating a decent swell and making it challenging for some.  There were 4 races scheduled with most divisions completing 3 before lunch.  The wind filled in for a breezier final race. The absence of the McGrath family was felt in the Laser & Minnow division with smaller fleets on day 1.  Raider managed to lose their kite bag over the side at the top mark in Race 3, a few A Class capsizes and a ripper port hand start by Holly in the Laser fleet rounded out a solid days racing.

After racing there was a small presentation in Donny Den in the boat park and a few stayed on for the ever popular KARAOKE NIGHT. A great night was had by young and old with little regard to what time racing was to resume the following day.

Sunday was nothing like Saturday… A decent breeze of 20+ knots with up to 40 degree shifts which made for entertaining racing and proved a challenge for the mark layers.  Again there were 4 races scheduled although not all divisions managed this target.  Conor in his Tasar leading Race 1 managed to snap his mast on the first lap and had to head for shore.

The Minnow fleet only managed one race before it became too much for the younger sailors and they abandoned the rest of the morning.  The other divisions pressed on…  Next to fall was the remaining Tasar fleet as all but 1 boat returned to shore, along with a few of the Lasers.  Leslie & MIchael did a fantastic job and raced alone completing all their scheduled races. Raider, Ms Palmer & Shaw Thing were loving the breeze as they smashed through the courses in the morning races.

Everyone was back out in the afternoon for the final race of the event.  The breeze dropped down significantly to 6-8 knots and it was quite fluky at times, again testing the mark layers.  A few of the bigger boats had to head back to Bayview in time to make the lock before the tide so missed the final race so the big boat fleets were reduced in size. 

It was a long 2 days racing with a variety of breezes and conditions.  The duty crew did a great job as did all of the sailors.  There are some fantastic photos from Day 1 as the weather was great and so was the backdrop. 

Final results are HERE with winners below;

• Minnow:    Cooper Bament
• Laser:        Holly Ranson
• Tasar:        Leslie Alford
• A Class:         Brendan Dally
• Big Cats    (Div3):   Ms Palmer – Francis Wilkins
• U30 (Div4):    Shaw Thing – Tom Griffiths
• Big KB (Div1):    Zanzibar – John/Jenny Simondson