Sabre National Championships 120 boats on the line!
'Image Courtesy of Steb Fisher Photography'

A record fleet of 130 competed in the 34th Australian Sabre National Championships held at Blairgowrie Yacht Club in Victoria during the Christmas New Year period. It was easily the biggest Nationals in the class’s history.

10 races were held in light to moderate conditions. Long start lines and an experienced start team meant that the fleet got away without excessive levels of recalls. The Nationals were won by last year's winner – Victorian Black Rock sailor Chris Dance; with Adelaide sailors Mark Soulsby and Craig McPhee in second and third; and Blairgowrie's Wayne Bates and Peter Hackett in fourth and fifth.

Ian James (Wishful Thinking) and Scott Olsen (Assault Weapon) both from Perth Dinghy Sailing Club were WA’s representatives at the Nationals. Scott Olsen finished third in the Seniors section and sixth overall. Ian James secured second place in the Veterans section, both were fantastic results considering the size of the fleet.

The Nationals also saw the largest number of youth entries ever seen in the class with 17 entries; with Blairgowrie's Liam Edleston winning the trophy.

Next years Nationals will be held in Queensland at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and WA is gearing up for the following year where the Nationals will be held at Perth Dinghy Sailing Club, which will be the first time the Nationals will be held in WA.

Sabres are a single handed dinghy and are currently sailed at Perth Dinghy Sailing Club and East Fremantle Yacht Club in WA. The WA fleet has now grown to 30 boats.  For more information see our website www.sabre.org.au  or Facebook page www.facebok.com/SabreSailingWA 
Contact Brian Jones 0438 516 324 email: sabreswa1@iprimus.com.au or contact Louis Suriano 0412 146 222.

Written by Chelsea Jones (Sabre Assoc WA) and Andrew Graham (Sabre Assoc VIC)

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