MC38s – GO GO Beck out-sails family while Lazy Dog edges out Swish
A third place to Christian Beck and his Infotrack GO team is as good as the MC38’s Act 6 overall victory given he beat two family members, the grinning skipper reckons.
“I’m very happy with that result,” Beck said back at the host Middle Harbour Yacht Club. “Not only did we come third, we also beat my son Indy helming Infotrack and my wife Rachel helming Law Connect. I don’t really care about beating any else!
“It’s the first time I’ve steered the whole series. Conditions were awesome, a bit fluky but that was challenging and fun. A special mention to Tony Mutter on tactics and Alex Gough for his input over a great weekend,” Beck added.
Yet another countback decided the final weekend series winner for the class’ 2022 season. This time it was retiring Australian class president Shaun Lane and his Lazy Dog co-owner, Quentin Stewart. Lazy Dog and Steven Proud’s Swish duelled relentlessly – the pair wrapping up Saturday and Sunday’s pointscores tied at the top of the scoresheet. Lazy Dog’s three race wins from seven versus Swish’s two made the difference.
“We had a real ding-dong with Swish, and Christian is sailing pretty tight,” Lane said. “The top three boats all had one shocker on Sunday. We were lucky to finish where we did given our fifth in the final race when the drop line got tangled and we couldn’t get the kite out, and had to cut the line.
“Both days were very fluky with the wind all over the place. Westerly fronts came through on Saturday bringing some decent squirts, one crew reckon they saw 27 knots. On Sunday the breeze was swinging between southwest and north northwest, down to 3 knots then suddenly gusting to 18,” Lane added.
MHYC race officer Steve Tucker and his savvy team ran another terrific regatta, the one-design class’ final act prior to the MC38 Australian Championship in November. There is talk that the nationals, to be hosted by Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron over three days, November 4-6, could bring 10 MCs to the starting gates.
The class thanks Shaun Lane for his four-year presidency and welcomes Christian Beck as the new supreme commander.
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Lisa Ratcliff
Australian MC38 Association media
