Race Report Saturday 31 October 2026
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Photos by David Murphy
Spring Point Score Races 9 & 10
A Nor’easter with a Mind of Its Own
Saturday’s forecast promised a cracking 25-knot nor’easter, and for a while, it looked like the weather gods were actually going to deliver. But first, we had to find somewhere to race! With a TP52 regatta camped out in our usual playground, we squeezed ourselves in near Clark Island — not quite palatial, but enough room to play.
As we headed out to set the course, the breeze was already building, and ominous clouds on the horizon suggested a storm might be heading our way. With conditions looking a little too exciting, we kept the fleet ashore for an extra 10–15 minutes to see what the weather had in store. Once the coast looked clear, we gave the sailors the green light, and the breeze came out swinging. But then Sydney Harbour inevitably changed the script.
The threatening clouds moved through without delivering the promised drama, and suddenly the wind dropped away like it had somewhere else to be. Shifts came thick and fast — one minute you're fully powered up, the next you're wondering who stole the breeze and whether they're willing to give it back. It was all eyes out of the boat, chasing pressure, playing the shifts and making peace with the fact that the only predictable thing about the afternoon was its unpredictability.
Between the TP52s, the threatening skies and a nor’easter that apparently hadn't read its own forecast, there was certainly no shortage of entertainment.
And the Winners Are…
Despite the shifting breeze and unpredictable conditions, there were some impressive performances across both races. Congratulations to our handicap winners, who clearly managed to make better sense of the wind than the rest of us!
Race 9
4.7: Titouan Christodoulou Le Gac
Radial: Daryl Lawrence & Patrick McLachlan (tie)
Standard: Andrew Stigter
Race 10
4.7: Titouan Christodoulou Le Gac
Radial: Patrick McLachlan
Standard: Stephen Reid
All in all, a challenging but enjoyable afternoon on Sydney Harbour, proving once again that the only predictable thing about sailing is its unpredictability.
Thanks to everyone who kept things running smoothly on and off the water, especially the race management team, who certainly earned their keep!
- Kirk Marcolina, PRO
This weekend’s winners of the prestigious DBSC glasses: Max Williams (L) and Daryl Lawrence. Photo by Steve London.