Mooloolaba Yacht Club was to be represented at the NSW-
Manly Yacht Club’s 25th anniversary
Helly Hansen Women’s Challenge on March 29th in Sydney. However a judicious decision has been made to cancel their attendance with the team joining the fight to ‘flatten the curve’ in the face of the current Corona Virus pandemic.
MYC member Tanya Kelly had delivered her boat ‘
Spartan’, a Beneteau First 34.7, to Sydney for the event and for the upcoming
Sail Port Stephens week in late April.
The women have been training locally aboard ‘Blue Eagle’, a Peterson 32 which member and owner Lindsay Waddell has kindly made available to them.
Several members of the 2020 team attended the 2019 event which was unfortunately but sensibly postponed due to severe weather.
Tanya had entered into two divisions- female helm and all female team. With an all women crew Spartan won the Cruising Division 2 at the 2019
Airlie Beach Race Week.The team was to train aboard Spartan on the Friday before the event and have a shake-down race as a guest of local club
Middle Harbour on the Saturday.
Everyone was excited to sail aboard Spartan and on Sydney Harbour but are supportive of the decision to cancel their attendance in 2020. They look forward to competing in 2021- when it will hopefully be third time lucky.
Team members included Tanya Kelly (owner, helm), Kerri Smith (pit), Kristie Hatch (main), Kerry Lorimer (jib, kite), Gaye Hoole (jib), Kerry Teed (foredeck), Naomi Croft (mast), Jasmine Mudie (mast, crew), Karon Yesberg (crew, navigation).
