Publication:Navy Annual 2005/Navy V Navy World Tasar Sailing
BY COMMANDER MARTIN LINSLEY, RAN
In September 2005, RAN members supported and raced against a visiting royal Navy sailing team in the 2005 Tasar World Championship. Sailed on the tropical waters off Darwin, the Championship attracted 1310 entries from Australia, Japan, Canada, the USA, and Europe. Twelve Navy tasars were used for racing, and royal Australian Navy support craft assisted with race management.
Before the world event the 'Aussie' and 'Brit' military teams raced a challenge match. The visitors were less experienced in Tasar dinghies, but their boat-handling skills and team tactics were sharp. After four short races the royal Navy team won by a small margin. The match served as valuable preparation for the world event, helping compensate for the limited opportunities service sailors have to train together.
The World Tasar Championship was highly competitive, with the large fleet ensuring that standards ranged from sub-Olympic level at the front to near-beginner at the tail. Twelve short-medium length races were completed over five days, with three per day being the norm. Maintaining 100 percent physical and mental effort for long periods on those days was demanding. Patience was a virtue, particularly when the wind died and the tide flowed! Those who made good starts benefited from clear wind and were able to break from the fleet and achieve good finishing positions. Achieving this consistently was not easy.
The fortunes of individual military sailors ebbed and flowed as the Championship progressed, but Navy tasars were often at the fore of the fleet. Royal Navy crews achieved some impressive results, including a race win, but consistency proved more important to overall finishing positions. It was consistency that helped the top three Royal Australian Navy-skippered boats finish 4th, 7th and 47th in the world fleet, narrowly outclassing the leading Royal Navy boats that finished 8th, 9th and 46th.
Darwin proved a terrific venue for a world championship, with its friendly locals and waterside yacht club setting. Sailors from around the world shared achievements and frustrations, tips and tactics whilst supping the drink, giving rise to the Tasar being known as 'the champagne class'. The total experience was summed up well by the royal Navy team Captain, lieutenant CMDR Vincent, royal Navy: "I had a fantastic time, the sailing was great. The whole team loved the Top End ..."
The royal Australian Navy competitors in Darwin were CDRE Longbottom, AM, RAN, CMDR Linsley, RAN, lieutenant CMDR Rock, RAN, lieutenant Wadley, RAN, sub-lieutenant Foulkes, RAN, MIDN Hitchcock, RAN, LS Bentley, Seaman O'Donohue and seaman Barr. Supporting these folk, and the Royal Navy team, was the Manager, PO Wilcox, whose commitment and enthusiasm were outstanding. Other valued support came from HMA ships Coonawarra, Penguin and Stirling.
