To round out the centreboard pre-Christmas rush of state championships, East Fremantle Yacht Club (EFYC) hosted the 2024 O’pen Skiff States over the weekend. The event saw 36 sailors from six yacht clubs contesting Gold, Silver, and Green Fleets.
EFYC was proudly represented across all three fleets, with nine sailors taking part. From left to right in the photo below:
- Green Fleet: Grace Brooks, Arnaud Laroche, and Charlie Wenn
- Gold Fleet: Alex Foley, Billie McCracken, and Xavier Putt
- Silver Fleet: Angus Russell, Alby Foster, and Will Cade
A Weekend of Firsts
There were plenty of firsts during the regatta:
- First Regatta: Will, Charlie, Arnaud, and Grace participated in their first-ever regatta.
- First Regatta Race Win: Alby secured his first race win in a regatta.
- New Boats: Will, Charlie, and Arnaud sailed in new boats, with Charlie and Arnaud receiving theirs just days before the regatta. Welcome to the O’pen Skiff fleet: R2BIC2 (Will), No Limits (Arnaud), and Wananavu (Charlie).
All sailors completed all their races, an incredible achievement for both Silver and Green Fleet participants.
Racing Highlights
The sailors competed in 10 races over the weekend, including:
- 8 Course Races
- A Marathon Adventure Race
- A Knockout Slalom Series
A Community Effort
A massive thanks goes out to our EFYC volunteers who made the weekend a success:
- Race Officers: Tim Putt and Helen Suriano
- Centreboard Captain: Margaret Shiner
- Start Boat Crew: Alex Foster, Andrew Foley, Colleen O’Byrne, and Jen Foster
- Support Boats: Josh Preston, Louis Suriano, Ray O’Byrne, Simon McCracken, Dave Quinn, Andrew Bright, Andrew Cliff, Jordy Bellegarde, Toby Bellegarde, and Riana Haldane
- BBQ and Class Representative: Kristy Russell
It was particularly wonderful to see volunteers from our Sharpie and Aero Fleets supporting our juniors.
Thanks also to the EFYC 100 Club for their donation to the Cash for Marks prizes, a fun way to reward sailors for their efforts.
Coaching Success
Special thanks to our EFYC coaches Lachy Putt and Calyn Reid for guiding the Gold and Green Fleets:
- Lachy earned coach bragging rights with Charlie crossing the line first in the Green Fleet course race.
- Calyn made her coaching debut during this regatta, marking a fantastic start to her coaching journey.
Overall Results
Gold Fleet:
- Billie McCracken: 3rd / 1st Female
- Alex Foley: 5th
- Xavier Putt: 8th
Silver Fleet:
- Alby Foster: 6th / 3rd U12
- Angus Russell: 9th
- Will Cade: 17th
Congratulations to all the sailors for their hard work, enthusiasm, and fantastic performances throughout the weekend!