Tasmania's best women sailors lining up on River Derwent

7:00 AM Wed 5 May 2010 GMT

'Lisa Blackwood will be defending her Tasmanian women’s sailing championship on the Derwent this weekend - Tasmanian Women’s Sailing Championship 2010' Peter Campbell &copy

Two young national sailing champions will be among many of Tasmania's best women sailors competing in the Sargiso Jewellers Women's Fleet Racing Regatta on the River Derwent this coming Saturday, 8 May.

Hosted by the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, the women will contest up to six races in the club's fleet of Elliott 5.9 sportsboats, sailing three-up or four-up, depending on total crew weight.

National Mirror champion Jessie Atherton from Kingston Beach Sailing Club will be joined by Jenny Graney, Ann Reynolds and Katherine Maher in her second bid to win the prestigious regatta,

Australian champion in the International 420 class, Lucy Shephard from Sandy Bay Sailing Club will sail three-up with two other successful young women sailors, Silka Price and Sophie Chesterman.

Prominent J24 skipper Jacinta Cooper from the RYCT is another skipper expected to do well, with a crew yet to be named.

At least 10 teams are expected to enter the regatta, with defending champion Lisa Blackwood nominating today. Since making a cleansweep of last year's event, Lisa has won a national championship in radio controlled yachts and finished a close fourth overall and top-placed Tasmanian in the Australian championship for the International 2.4 metre single-handed yacht class.

Fleet racing will start early on Saturday to take advantage of the morning autumn breezes on the Derwent, with the first warning signal at 9.55am. Crews will rotate sequentially boats after each race.

Presentation of trophies will take place at the RYCT on Saturday afternoon after the final race with the winners receiving attractive trophies designed by Sargison Jewellers.

by Peter Campbell