PCYC Steerers’ Invitational and Four Sisters Open Goes International!

August 2, 2023

Sailors came from as far as Hong Kong, Mexico, Vancouver, Nova Scotia, Beaconsfield, Frenchman’s Bay, Lake of Bays, Sarnia, Kingston and South Portland more to the 64th PCYC Steerers’ Invitational and the 22nd Four Sisters Open events this past weekend at Port Credit Yacht Club.

PCYC hosted 560 sailors and 112 coaches over the back-to-back two-day events. Lead sponsor DriveHG.ca festooned PCYC’s tents with festive flags and logos for the events.

Both regattas included four courses and Race Committees set for Optimist Green sailors (many for whom these were their first regattas sailed); Optimist Championship White, Blue, and Red (age-determined, all under age 16); C420 White Sail and Spinnaker fleets; and ILCA 4.7 and 6 sailors. Four Sisters offers an ILCA 7 class but so far ILCA 7 sailors haven’t decided they want to ‘show the juniors how it’s done’ (nudge nudge, wink wink).

Four Sisters is an open event, where Steerers’ has grown as a teaching regatta for juniors. Both regattas allow coaching on the water by official coaches from the various guest sailing clubs, within guidelines. Sailors also get excellent guidance from certified jury members who are on the courses to teach, help reduce protests, and encourage penalty exonerations with 720 degree penalties regularly taken.

This year, PCYC also hosted the LYRA Junior Championship, raced in ILCA 6 (singlehanded men’s and women’s) and C420s (doublehanded). Like last year, PCYC also hosted the Club 420 Canadian Championship, which is becoming an annual tradition between the International C420 Class Association and PCYC. On top of that, results from the Four Sisters Regatta will be tallied as part of both the Ontario Sailing Grand Prix Development Series, and the Fogh Gold Cup Racing Series. Ontario Sailing was present to support the event with flags for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winners of all fleets, and gave out OS stickers.

Over the four day period 90 proud and enthusiastic PCYC member-volunteers packed swag and lunches, checked both sailors and coaches safely out-and-in off the water, launched and hauled out 221 dinghies Thursday and Friday, and did it again with 175 more on Saturday and Sunday. 560 sailors: the best turnout in recent years, offering a tremendous growth experience for all our young sailors!

Big congratulations go to Oakville Yacht Squadron for being the 2023 Steerers’ Invitational Overall Winner! 

-Penny McLaren, PCYC

Results for the Steerers’ Invitational can be seen here: https://theclubspot.com/regatta/pfVAtPySuX

and Four Sisters Open can be seen here: https://theclubspot.com/regatta/raFFwU2qru