Teenage Laser sailor Max Gluskie added a new dimension to Hobart’s fleet of International Dragon class yachts on Sunday when he steered Ridgeway to victory in race six of the Derwent Sailing Squadron’s Winter Solstice Championship on the Derwent.

It was Royal Yacht of Tasmania’s off-the-beach sailor’s first regatta in the classic one-design keelboats, a class in which the winning helmsmen have generally had years of experience steering the boats. 

Certainly, the first win in a Dragon by a teenage helmsman in recent years and coincidently Max was steering the Dragon owned by Steven Shield, the youngest Tasmanian to win the Prince Philip Cup.

Max won race six by just two seconds, sailing impressively in the final four races of the shortened regatta, placing 3-4-1-3.  However, earlier back-of-the-fleet results saw Ridgeway finished fifth overall.

Tasmanian champion and current World Corinthian champion Nick Rogers, steering Karabos IX, won the inaugural Innovative Electrical Winter Solstice Champion from Magic (Justin Barr) and Xanthos (Michael Wilkinson).

Dying winds limited racing for the Dragons to just two of the scheduled five races on Saturday with Karabos (Nick Rogers) and Xanthos (Michael Wilkinson) each having a first and a third.

On Sunday, race officers set out to get in as many races as possible, managing four short windward/leeward races which saw just seconds separating the leading boats.

Karabos IX set the pace on Sunday, winning the first two races, but finished second in race five, followed by two fourth places.  

Magic, with Justin Barr back on the helm, won the fifth and seventh races while losing race six by just two seconds to the youthful Gluskie, helming Ridgeway.

Magic finished second overall on a net 17 points on a countback from Xanthos.  Wicked (Andrew Blakney) placed a close fourth on 19 points.

Words: Peter Campbell
Photos:  Peter Watson