Second half of Sail Port Stephens kicks off today by Nic Douglass & Mark Rothfield 23 Apr 02:22 UTC 19-25 April 2021
The Pantaenius Port Stephens Trophy, the second half of Sail Port Stephens will kick off today with a fleet of 130 boats in a westerly breeze starting at 15 knots, set to ease all day.
The majority of the fleet is heading offshore, with the Flagstaff Performance Cruising and Racing divisions starting off Nelson Bay breakwall at midday for Course 4A and 4B. They ll swing around the islands, dip into Fingal Bay then head for home. The IRC and Performance Racing fleets will do windward leewards north of Cabbage Tree Island and inshore, the Sports Boat NSW Championship, and Performance Racing Division 2 will be racing in Salamander Bay, with a fleet of 50-odd off-the-beach Finns, Sabots and Windsurfers joining in from tomorrow.
Sail Port Stephens - Day 1 by Mark Rothfield 19 Apr 11:47 UTC 19-25 April 2021
It was a day to clear the rust, but also to show some trust, as Sail Port Stephens turned on a spectacular opening day for the Bannisters Port Stephens Commodores Cup 2021.
Racing on the icon Pub-to-Pub course began in light nor westerlies, allowing an easy run to Shoal Bay, however a mid-race shift to a nor east seabreeze brought the backmarkers right back into contention as they rode the new wind line.
It compressed the fleet of 105 starters, making mark roundings action-packed - especially in the bay overlooked by series sponsor Bannister Port Stephens Resort.