Eight yachts set sail for Race 9 of the Closehaven Marina Trophy Series, the 2012 Lady Skippers Race. With many of the girls sailing regularly throughout the year assisting their husbands, partners or friends this was an opportunity for the ladies to take the helm and command the ship.
 
The course was set for a run north to locate a set of coordinates before tracking east to Low Isles for a port rounding of the islands.
 
Shazam skippered by Mickey Doussett was first to drop anchor at Low for the ladies luncheon completing Stage 1 of the race. Ann Cox at the helm of Ann Sea, Desley Lloyd skippering Jimmie Blacksmith and Cheryl Wellham skippering Kai Lani soon followed.

Pictured L-R: Desley Lloyd (Jimmie Blacksmith), Robyn Parsons (Ruff Red), Andrina Matchett (Samantha), Mickey Doussett (Shazam), Ann Cox (Ann Sea), Trudy Erdmann (Tau Ceti), Helen Gwilliams (Ice), and Cheryl Wellham (Kai Lani).
 
Next into the lagoon was Helen Gwilliams at the helm of Ice, Trudy Erdmann helming Tau Ceti, Robyn Parsons skippering Ruff Red and Andrina Matchett skipper of Samantha.

After a relaxing lunch and a cooling swim for some of the crew Stage 2 got underway. A good 15 to 20 knot breeze made for near perfect conditions and a very close race for a fast reach back to Port and it was again Mickey and Shazam that crossed the line first.

Final positions on handicap corrected time placed Ann Sea (02:13:43) first ahead of Shazam (02:16:39) and Kai Lani (02:22:22) followed by Jimmie Blacksmith (02:22:59), Ice (02:31:34), Tau Ceti (02:37:04), Samantha (02:46:39) and Ruff Red (03:05:57).

The ladies were all smiles at the presentation having shown the boys the way around the course in some very impressive times.

The Closehaven Marina Trophy Series concludes this Saturday with the traditional end to the club racing calendar, the Christmas Cup.