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2003 Freemasons Australian Championships

Divisional Winners, Full Results, Report, Stats

DIVISIONAL WINNERS

DOWNLOAD FULL RESULTS IN PDF FORMAT

Div 1, Div 2, Div 3, Div 4, Div 5, Div 6, Div 7

REPORT

The 8th Freemasons Australian Access Dinghy Championships was again a resounding success from every aspect. Fair winds blessed the weekend with only one race being abandonded due to lack of breeze. More photos will be posted in this report when available.

Again, the ACT Scouting Movement provided approximately 100 volunteers for the weekend, demonstrating the benefits to the whole community when organisations work in co-operation with one another. Scouts, Rovers and Venturers took responsibility for on-water safety, transferring, beach marshalling, catering, communications and a host of other tasks, with the entire contingent of Scouts carrying out their duties with a willingness and understanding to achieve the best possible outcomes for the weekend.

We again welcomed a large contingent of competitors from Japan and a smaller, but extremely competitive team from Singapore. Japanese participation in this regatta has become an integral part of the weekend's atmosphere. Since the 2002 International Access Dinghy Championships held in Osaka, where approximately 30 Australians attended, many strong friendships have been formed.

The regatta would not have been possible without the support of the major sponsors, NSW & ACT Freemasons, ACT Dept. of Sport & Recreation and ACT Tourism and Events Corporation. The Freemasons have sponsored the regatta for two years and we are extremely appreciative for their continued support.

In the lead-up period and over the weekend a fundraiser was held to assist a volunteer from Sailability ACT who lost his house and everything else in the devistating fires in Canberra in January. Thanks to the generosity of many people and various Sailability groups around Australia, over $1,000 was raised.

It is interesting to note that in previous years, the number of sailors wishing to sail in Div 3 and 4 outnumbered those sailing in Divisions 1 and 2. This year however, our sailors have obviously grown in confidence and ability as there were many more sailors in the higher divisions. It was heartening to see that the winner of Division 2, Glen Cairns, was sailing his 2.3 with full Servo Assist controls, indicating that sailors with high level disabilities are just as competitive as the more "abler" competitors. The starters on the committee boat, Dianne and Russell Kemp, commented on the overall increase in sailing expertise across all divisions.

Sir WIlliam Deane, long time friend of the Access Dinghy Championships, presented the 2.3 trophies and officially launched Ame Barnbrook's Access Liberty. The boat, sponsored by Breville, was christened "The Sir William Deane". In January 2004 the IFDS approved "Disabled Single Handed Dinghy Championships" will be sailed in Liberty's. The 10 day regatta will be hosted by Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, on the Mornington Pensinsular.

Pictured: Sir William Deane with Ame and the Access Liberty, "The Sir William Deane", during the official launch.

STATISTICS

Number of competitors - 121

Number of Access Dinghies - 24 x Access 303 and 42 x Access 2.3

Number of Female Competitors - 43 = 36% (Our best ever ratio)

Number of Competitors with a disability = 67%

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