Yachting Australia

Going into the third and last race to decide the winner against their staunch rivals The Peninsula School the score was one race all.

And at the last mark with just 200 metres to sail, St Leonards who were the defending champions were looking down the barrel of defeat at the hands of The Peninsula School in the winner takes all shoot out.

However in some of the finest schools boat to boat racing ever seen in Victoria, St Leonards (aqua sails left) managed on the final up wind leg to narrowly out smart their Peninsula School rivals (yellow sails) to clinch a come from behind 1st and 2nd across the line to win by just one placing.

St Leonards Year 11 student Jacqui Gurr who was competing for the fourth time in this regatta including last years winning team steered one of the Pacer yachts with her year 8 brother Chris.

Ms Gurr said afterwards, “We are all really happy with our win and I put it down to the four hard training sessions we did in the last two weeks. We are captainless team and like to think of ourselves as a champion team ”

St Leonards raced with two family crews, the Taylors and the Gurrs. The school has won the title five times in nine years and will go on to represent Victoria at the Australian national schools teams racing titles in Sydney next July.

St Leonard’s principal Dr Roger Hayward who enjoyed watching the tight final from the comfort of the former Sydney ferry Lady Cuttler (left) which was used as a viewing platform and teams base,

Dr Hayward said afterwards, “Sailings a great sport for the Bayside schools and our sailors have generated a very competitive spirit within the school.”

Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist Mark Turnbull OA who happens to be a St Leonards old boy presented the winners trophies. He said, “It is fantastic to see sailing getting into schools and being taken so seriously!”

Third place in the championship went to the fledgling young team of rookies from Woodleigh College who had the measure of St Bedes College, needing only two of the three final races to secure third spot.

Sponsored by Lend Lease’s Victoria Harbour and the City of Melbourne, the regatta is sailing’s equivalent to rowing’s prestigious Head of the River.

Lend Lease Victoria Harbour’s Project Director Ellie Schwab said at the presentation, “Events like this help activate the harbour to draw others to come and enjoy our facilities.”

This new series builds on the past successful events at Docklands and was hosted by Docklands Yacht Club with assistance from Yachting Victoria.

More info visit Yachting Victoria's website, link below, and look under 'events'

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	Yachting Victoria