Team NEWC including Yarrawonga’s Werner Oswald (top row left) and Kristine Deveny (seated second from left) who brought home a swag of medals from the Australian National Blokart Championships held last weekend at Waratah Bay in South Gippsland.
The North East Windsport Club (NEWC), located at Springhurst, brought home a swag of medals from the Australian National Blokart Championships held last weekend at Waratah Bay in South Gippsland.
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Blokarting is an exciting sport, invented in New Zealand, where sailors attempt to manoeuvre a three-wheeled kart with a 5.5 sq metre sail around a set course.
It was NEWC's turn to host the event and they decided on Waratah Bay because of the greater possibility of four days of windy weather.
It was a mammoth logistical exercise: finding a venue, finding accommodation for 40 competitors, organising catering and then running races in eight divisions in four separate fleets.
The highlight was the unique trophies, created by the club and built by commodore, Ken Horne, with the help of Wangaratta Men’s Shed.
The club would also like to thank their sponsors; the Australian Blokart Association, Blokart International, the Victorian Government’s Sporting Club Grants, South Gippsland Shire Council, Bunnings and Bendigo Bank.
39 competitors converged on Waratah Bay from all over Australia, and even one from New Zealand.
NEWC had the biggest team with 13 competitors, seven from South Aus Blokart Club, six from Capricornia BC based in Yeppoon, Qld, and four each from Victorian BC, Melbourne, Central Queensland BC, Mackay, Qld, and the South East Queensland BC in Brisbane.
Sailing conditions on Waratah Bay Beach were a little disappointing as the winds failed to build much for exciting racing.
The winds were on-shore at 8 - 12 kts, which meant only a simple reaching course could be set.
Nevertheless, there was lots of excitement at the start as sailors jockeyed for position to hit the start line dead on time then maintain enough speed to hold their positions, sometimes not too successfully.
Races were timed using electronic transponders and sensing equipment so there could be no debate as to who jumped the start and who finished first.
Karts were achieving speeds up to 30 kph at times, so mark roundings and overtaking had to be carefully judged.
There were a few incidents where that didn't work, but no harm done, just a plastic cone was sent skittling and the culprit consigned to a 360-degree penalty turn - which left them at the back of the fleet!
Line-up of competitors at the 2025 National Blokart Championships at Waratah Bay during a lull in the weather.
As the wind pricks up they can choose smaller sails, but not bigger. The sport is divided into two classes: Production (straight out of the factory) and Performance (where sailors can add performance enhancing improvements - such as a streamlined pod and carbon fibre masts).
Within those classes there are four weight divisions - so Ken Horne and the Wang Men's Shed had to make 24 trophies.
