"Ocean Girls" from Royals take on the AWKR
In June at the 30th Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta was run by RMYS. Royals fielded three teams. Catherine North’s X36 Duxelle, Cath Beaufort’s S80 , Up and Go, Clare Olding in the Summit 35, Vertigo. Each team has their own pathway to this point be it taking up ocean racing late in life and sailing around the world or a strong history in one design racing. This is Vertigo’s story.
For the past 12 months, a team of young Royals sailors has been out on Sundays learning how to handle a racing keelboat. The team was led by Clare Olding who grew up sailing Cadets at RYCV and by age 21 has already clocked up more than 5000 Nm of offshore sailing and numerous offshore races. She was joined by a range of sailors, some of whom have come up through the OTB classes and some who have only started sailing in their early 20s.
Clare on the helm of Vertigo Photo Andrea Francolini
After 12 months of regular training, they teamed up with a few of Royals more experienced keelboat sailors and entered the AWKR. The team consisted of:
- Maddy Scambary Speller doing bow for the very first time
- Abbey Argus Smith on mast in only her second keelboat regatta
- Rosy King (age 14) on sewer and kite packing in her first regatta
- Josie Caharija in her first regatta
- Ishka Prescott in her second regatta
- Prue Standen on office
- Clare Olding on helm
- Allison Wilson on Main
- Jasmine Galbraith on tactics and strategy
They finished a windy and cold series 3rd on AMS and 2nd on PHS including storming race 6 to take line and handicap honours. This is a remarkable achievement for a young team with limited experience but a ton of enthusiasm, mentored by a great team of Royals’ more experienced female sailors. Planning for next year’s event has already begun and we can expect great things from this gang of youths.
Claire the skipper of Vertigo together with her father Tim will co skipper Vertigo in the upcoming 50th Melbourne to Hobart race.
Photo Credit: Andrea Francolini
Disclaimer: The author is the owner of Vertigo and the father of Clare and is extremely biased.
