BLUSTERY 15 to 20-knot easterly winds greeted the nervous women when they fronted for their annual skippers’ race on Sunday morning at Hillarys Yacht Club.
The decision to start division one after division two meant the bigger yachts would be sailing through the fleet, which caused the level of anxiety to rise even further.
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Everyone started well on the run out to the downwind mark, with Mulberry showing the rest how to untangle a spinnaker.
The gusts on the upwind beat caused several yachts to veer on to collision courses but skippers held their nerve.
With a succession of upwind and reaching legs, it was not long before the finish line was in sight and everyone was safely back in the clubhouse for celebrations.
First and fastest in division one was Sally Malay with Sarah Liddiard at the helm, with Chelsea Bradford skippering Salamander into second place and Perle (Sue Bird) third. In division two, Melissa Rankin steered Pandora into first place with the fastest yacht, Xtreme, second skippered by Eleanor Wise and third was Volant (Marlene Scheckel).
In division three Sally Simmonds skippered Sensei to record a first and fastest.