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Sparkling Water and Light Shifty Conditions for 1st pre worlds race in Port Elizabeth

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Sigi Bailes and Dudley Isaacs
Sigi Bailes and Dudley Isaacs in the first race of the 5O5 Pre World Championships on Wednesday 25 March 2015. In the background is the race committee boat – a South African Navy Minesweeper. Photo: Christophe Favreau/SAP

The first race of the 5O5 pre-worlds and South African Championships in Port Elizabeth, South Africa was sailed today in very light shifty conditions.

The first race had to be abandoned halfway through after a 180 degree wind shift.

Back at the starting area Race Officer Di Hutton-Squire attended to the resetting of the course and started the race once again which finished at 16h01. Only one race was sailed in the South West breeze on flat seas in a day scheduled for two races. The South West breeze allowed the fleet to come close inshore and sail around a mark laid close to Shark Rock Pier.

Preliminary Results from the 5O5 pre-worlds – 25 March 2015:

  1. Sail Number 9091 from United States sailed by Ted Conrad and Brian Haines
  2. Sail Number 9118 from Denmark sailed by Jan Saugmann and Jakob Karbo
  3. Sail Number 8946 from Australia sailed by Sandy Higgins and Paul Marsh

Top South African team: Thomas and Peter Funke in 6th place.

The final day of the pre-worlds is on Thursday with the weather man predicting more wind from the South West ranging from 11 to 17 knots.

Then it will be a race back to the harbour for the crowning of the South African Champion with the official opening ceremony from 17h00 followed by a civic reception in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan City hall.

Local Algoa Bay Yacht Club sailors, Sigi Bailes and Dudley Isaacs will be sailing the pre worlds and world championships in black vests whilst the rest of the fleet sails in SAP Gold Vests.

Sigi Bailes and Dudley Isaacs sailed to 22nd place in the 28 boat fleet.

The story behind Sigi Bailes and Dudley Isaacs:

Sigi and Dudley applied to the race committee to sail in black vests in order to pay homage to and in memory of Glynis Baer and Joy Finn who both died in a car accident outside Swellendam on Monday 9 March 2015.

Glynis was a member of ABYC and was one of the main organisers of the 60th SAP 5O5 World Championships event. Joy was the wife of the South African Sailing Eastern Cape Councillor – Andrew Finn. Sigi is a member of ABYC and Dudley a member of Knysna Yacht Club.

The boat is sailing in ABYC colours.

Sigi is an accomplished sailor and recently sailed to 18th place in the Mirror Worlds – http://abyc.co.za/abyc-sailors-at-the-2015-mirror-worlds/ – with her daughter, Tammy.

Sigi and her husband, Tony own a Fast 42 which will be sailing in the Vasco Da Gama Race from Durban to Port Elizabeth starting on 25 April 2014.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.