I belive there is a story of some (5) uk cherubs going down under.
If true I would like to know more.
Who, what, where, when, why is usually a good place to start.
I could bore you at considerable length on this one, on account of the fact that Ken and I were there in the Flying Trifle, one of 8 UK Cherubs to make the trip to Botany Bay for the 95/96 Worlds. Rather than writing you a massive essay on the whole event, here are some random thoughts that spring to mind. Unfortunately the UK and Australian boats are so different now that it's highly unlikely anybody would consider it worthwhile spending the money and effort required to repeat this event. But you never know.....
1. We had to start planning way in advance. The idea really got off the ground at the '94 UK Nationals, 18 months before the regatta. Craig Simons, one of the leading guys from the Australian Association was in the UK at the time and turned up with a formal invitation for a team of UK Cherubs to attend the Aus Nationals / Interdominions / Worlds at the end of 1995.
2. The logistics were significant. We got sponsorship from a company on the South Coast who provided us with special aluminium cradle frames which would stack 3-high in a shipping container. Tim Dean sorted this out, and also organised the hiring of a 40-foot container, plus all the legal documentation, carnet, arranged loading and unloading at the docks at both ends etc. I think it worked out at about £800 per boat in the end.
3. Eight UK Cherubs made the trip: Dave Roe / Helen Marsh 2660 (Pasta Frenzy), Mike Chalmers / Matt Stobbart 2637(Bistro), Robin Russell / Alan Atterbury (Pasta Frenzy), Tim Dean / Una -Mary Colclough (Pasta Frenzy), Simon Roberts / Joe Barker 2645 (Dog), Andy Kinchin / Mark (Dog), Andrew and Kate Horton (Platypus), Neil Cardno / Ken Scott Brown 2652 (Flying Trifle).
4. Georges River SC on Botany Bay was very impressive. The story was that a lot of the members were "gambling only" members, who went to play the slot machines and bingo (something to do with Australian laws which only permitted gambling in a private club). As a result, the club was extremely well off financially with a huge garage for all the boats instead of the usual scruffy boat-park, several restaurants and bars, hot showers, comfortable TV lounge etc.
http://georgesriversailingclub.com.au/5. It was windy. The average windspeeds were way higher than the usual in the UK, which the Aussies were well used to, but proved quite a challenge for a lot of the UK boats. There was also quite a big swell coming off the Pacific when the wind was out of the east. (The locals went on a lot about the "Black Nor-easter").
6. The sight of shark nets didn't do much good for sphincter control, but in reality hitting big shoals of stinging jellyfish at speed was the bigger health hazard. That and the potential for self-inflicted liver damage from the great big jugs of Victoria Bitter which were sold very cheap at the sailing club bar.
7. The racing was utterly brilliant. Very professionally run, and with 64 Cherubs on the start line it was quite a spectacle.
8. The UK boats were fundamentally faster, but the standard of sailing amongst the Aussies and Kiwis was very high, so the UK boats ended up scattered throughout the results sheet by the end of the regatta.
It was just an all round awesome trip. A definite formative experience of my life aged 26, and one I'm unlikely ever to forget.
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