The last Hoorah!

                         The last Day .... and it began once more with

                                  No Pressure and NO PROBLEM!
                          
                                      But this team was ready !

                                                           

                                          motley though we may appear...
                                                     

                                          no pressure ... not anywhere...

   
                            however .... we wanted to get out there and then ..

                                               start the party...

                                                        

 

dockside , all was in readiness..

                                     the 2.4 Mt class headed out ..

                              Members of the Aussie team came to help ..

                                  Pete had his last Powerade for a while..

                                    strictly Rum and Coke from here on....

 

on eof my favourite photographers was out and about..

 

those hands have worked hard this week..

 

final adjustments...

                            it was bright, it was glary, it was challenging ...

                               .......and I just mean for the photographer !

                                 I am REALLY going to miss these skies...

               Eventually a race was held, but only after an abandonment,

                                   and an hour long drift around the bay..

                             .... so we all socialised , while we waited,

                                     Hola, Bon Jour, Buenos Dios, etc etc,

                                we took photos of people taking photos of us!

                                               you get the picture ...

                                       
                                           Finally we had a race..

and then .... it was all over... a very respectable 10th place for the last race of the Regatta, the IFDS World Championships!

 

... we decided to send Yve home with Pete..

                                       and Graeme too....

                                 ......  took a few team shots ...

                                        Aussie, Aussie,  Aussie!!!

                           Met up with the Australian Team for a Photo

                                         Got one of ourselves..

                The Australian Team awarded Pete with a special trophy,

        The RNSYS awarded Pete with the trophy for Best Sportsman ,
                                   both on and off the water.

                      and he was part of the Australian Team who won
                                         The Nations Cup Trophy

           Special thanks from the Reason To Live Team to the Australian Sailing Team who did their utmost to help us, and make our FIRST International Regatta a happy and successful experience!

                 .. and just to finish -  Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch  won the Gold in the 18'Skuds, and the Sonar boys took home the Bronze... one of the iconic moments came when the playing of the Australian National Anthem faltered, and the combined Australian teams took over singing our National anthem in harmony,.... to splendid applause.

                                       Oh ! What a feeling !

                             Aussie Aussie Aussie  Oi! Oi! Oi!

                 Thankyou to the RNSYS - Your hospitality and facilities, your staff , members, and volunteers  could not do enough to make our stay enjoyable,  interesting, and successful . The organisation was splendid .

                     We may see you in Melbourne next November 2015!

           Now - I am on holiday , we are to Toronto and Niagara Falls with Pete and Yve, and then on to Canmore, Alberta  to catch up with mates.. we will bring you up to speed in a few days .....

Marina