Celebrations are well underway at Southport Yacht Club after the club’s powerboat division regained the prestigious Goodwill Cup from Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron following an absence of four years.
Making the result even sweeter was the fact that the SYC team won the historic and ornate gold trophy by one of the biggest margins recorded in the contest’s 52-year history.
(Goodwill Cup handover. Commodore Phil Short SYC and Commodore Kevin Miller RQYS)
The Goodwill Cup is a navigation challenge designed to test the skills of the helmsmen (and women) as well as the navigators and observers. It is the premier annual competition between the two prominent clubs.
Such was the superiority of the Southport Yacht Club team this year that club boats filled four of the top five places in the two divisions. The courses were set on the waters around Peel Island, in the southern region of Moreton Bay over the weekend. A strong wind and choppy seas made this year’s competition the toughest in many years for the 44 competing boats.
“This is a wonderful achievement for our club,” said Southport Yacht Club commodore, Phil Short, today. “The Goodwill Cup reflects the great boating spirit that has existed between these two clubs over decades: the trophy means a lot to both clubs.
“The SYC victory reflected the dedication and determination that exists within our club – one based around a team spirit. We went to this year’s contest as a team – all 60 of us – and it worked. The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron cup defenders knew they were in trouble from the outset when our team arrived as one wearing identical red shirts courtesy of our sponsor, Wild Oats Wines.”
Commodore Short was quick to recognise that this year’s challenge drew on sailors from both the powerboat and sailing divisions within the Club. He also acknowledged the assistance he received from the Vice Commodore Power, Graham Webb, and Past Commodore Rob Mundle OAM, who was the team captain.
For more information please contact Commodore Phil Short at Southport Yacht Club on 07 5591 3500.
