Combined Clubs Two Handed Long Race Series - Race Two Preview

Alice Grubb and Tom Stearnes will sail Sundowner two-handed in the Combined Clubs Two Handed Long Race Series in Hobart © Jane Austin

Short-handed racing is increasing in popularity worldwide and this is certainly the case in Hobart with 21 boats competing in the second race of the Combined Clubs Two Handed Long Race Series.

Alice Grubb and Tom Stearnes sailing their Adams 12 Sundowner, will be hoping for another good race after winning the first race on performance handicap in Division One. "Our old girl loves a good upwind beat and hard reach. Tom and I are getting used to sailing two-up - we are pretty good at swapping roles to preserve stamina. I think that having old sails with hanks and lazy jacks makes life a fair bit easier on this boat," said Grubb.

The forecast is for an east to south easterly breeze under 10 knots which will favour the lighter boats in the 21-boat fleet.

In Division One, Grubb expects strong competition from Rad, a Radford 35 skippered by Brent McKay, as well as Midnight Rambler (Ed Psaltis), who is leading on IRC from Rad, and leads on AMS from Cromarty Magellan (Richard Grant) and Planet X (Dylan Reid).

Like the BYC twilight series, Cool Change (Chris Bobbi) and Piya (Mike Faure / Kate Legge) are racing neck and neck with the boats in first and second place respectively in Division Two, while Young Lion (Clare Brown) might beat the handicapper in the lighter conditions.

Piya skippered by Mike Faure and Kate Legge - Combined Clubs Two Handed Long Race Series - photo © Jane Austin