Taree Aquatic Sailing Club’s committee will consider changes to next year’s Manning Marathon.
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The 33rd marathon was sailed from Manning Point to Taree, with more than 40 boats taking part. The number was down on previous years.
“We didn’t get as many trailer sailers as usual,’’committee member Adam Cause said.
He said the marathon now clashes with two regattas for trailer yachts in Newcastle and this has an impact.
“We used to get 20 trailer sailers, this year we got five or six,’’ he said.
Mr Cause added that the various classes of Australian championships now start and finish later.
“Traditionally all the Australian titles started on Boxing Day and were finished early in the New Year. But that’s not the case now,’’ he explained.
“It’s a bit hard asking someone who has just sailed 10 races in an Australian championship to come here a couple of days later for our marathon.’’
However, Mr Cause confirmed the marathon will remain in January.
“We’re considering having it on a Saturday,’’ he said.
Mark Braithwaite from the Great Lakes Sailing Club was first across the line in his catamaran Erky Perky. However, former Manning sailor Robert Baker in his Vee Ess Black Diamond was first on corrected time. His crew members were Adam Birkefeld and Hayden Baker. The Vee Esses – once the dominant class on the Manning – used the marathon as part of its travellers trophy.
Manning sailors Len Mancell and Richard Dodds finished fourth and fifth. Connor Smith crewed for Mancell and Cassie Cause for Dodds.
The race was conducted in a 10 knot nor-east wind and there were no major incidents.
Next major event for Manning sailors will be the State MG championships hosted by the Great Lakes club next month.