Winning Appliances 56th Sabot Nationals
Newsletter Editor
3rd - 7th January saw 65 Sabots and family supporters descend on VA12SC for the Winning Appliances Sabot National Championships and Shipway Sabot Week.
With teams travelling from as far away as Townsville the pressure was on to deliver. And deliver the club did!
From the moment the regatta started there was something special in the air. The energy, excitement and quite frankly almost ludicrous levels of commitment from the volunteers was amazing! The club had it’s mojo and it was rockin’!
Mother nature rose to the challenge, delivering every kind of condition from fickle five knots to 20+ knot southerlies, testing the mettle of the competitors and ensuring that only the worthy won.
The new kitchen was given a serious run for it’s money, producing vast volumes of food for the perpetually hungry competitors. And the boat parks at Gibsons and Kutti beaches were a whirlwind of energy. The daily war cries from the different zone teams kept reminding us this was serious business with no prisoners for the taking!
After four days of epic racing (and eating), the whole regatta community descended on the Watsons Bay Hotel for the prize giving. With the Sunset Room bursting at the seams, yet more food was devoured, the trophies were awarded, speeches were made and the regatta was officially, and very successfully, concluded.
To all those that donated time, money or resources, on behalf of the club a very heartfelt thank you. You all made it amazing.
A very special thank you must go to the Regatta Director, Kate O’Loughlin, who along with husband David, worked incredibly hard for most of 2019 to make the regatta the success it was. Their commitment was phenomenal. As was the regatta they delivered.
Sarah Silverton’s fabulous regatta photos can be viewed here
Regatta results available here
