2025 LAKE MACQUARIE CHALLENGE

HELD AT SOUTH LAKE MACQUARIE AMATEUR SAILING CLUB

Sunday 2nd March, 2025

REPORT

The Lake Macquarie Challenge was held yesterday, Sunday the 2^nd March, 2025 at South Lake Macquarie ASC.

The Challenge has been an annual event since 1984 and is a one-off race between Hartley TS16’s from the Drummoyne SC, Saratoga SC and Hartley’s that are based at Lake Macquarie, NSW. It is a handicap race where individual line honours awards are given as well as the Lake Macquarie Challenge Shield going to the winning club. Boats from each club are separated into 3 teams with the low point scoring system used to determine the winning club.

10 boats entered. The weather was fine with a 5-8 kt breeze that started as a North- Easter and worked its way around to the South East by the end of the race. However, the late change of wind direction may not have affected the overall results, with the leads already established. 

The first boat on line honours this year was Maybe, which repeated its winning effort of last year leading for most of the race. Handicap review needed. Second was Matrix which had the best elapsed time.  Third over the line was the local boat Benni, who’s new owners sailed in their first Hartley event.

The final placings for the best club award were Saratoga 7, Lake Macquarie 18 and Drummoyne 20 points.

Congratulations to Saratoga SC on a very clear victory.

Thanks to the SLMASC and its members for helping to make it a great day.

I hope to see everyone again next year.

Regards

Glenn Nolan