Lee praises a well run team behind their record win

Not content to be the first female skipper to win the Australian 16ft Championship and St George club championship, the Bosker Build skipper has entered the record books again.

She is the first female in St George history to pilot a boat to a club championship victory without dropping a single heat.

Bosker finished the 2024/25 campaign with eight wins from eight races – an extraordinary achievement given the increasing quality of the St George fleet.

Lee, Keegan York and Kurt Warner put the icing on the cake over the weekend, narrowly winning the last two heats to seal back-to-back club championship crowns.

They finished seven points clear of runner-up Noakes (Tom Dawson) on the overall standings, with Toogara (Tom Clout) third.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure on the history of a clean sweep win at St George, but it’s always a good feeling to achieve something like that,” Lee said.

“This season had some ups and downs but our club racing was very consistent.

“It’s a good feeling to have my name on the trophy again. The fleet really started pushing back and didn’t make it easy to get the win each time.”

As Lee touched on, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Bosker Build this season.

They started the year well with victory in the Port Jackson Championships, but a contentious disqualification in a heat of the state titles ended those hopes.

An uncharacteristically poor performance at the nationals – they finished a distant 21st – was followed by a crew change, with Pete Mackie standing down to undergo hip surgery.

Mackie played a major role in Bosker’s recent dominance and the loss of such an experienced and astute sailor cannot be understated.

York had big booties to fill and, to his credit, stepped up.

Lee said: “We had a few setbacks but we put our heads together, made a few adjustments and with Kurt designing and making some new sails, we were back on track with a second in the Botany Bay Championships.

“Keegan was a seamless transition and we got our pace back and it all went from there.

“The main reason we can be so consistent is because of Kurt and Mackie preparing the boat so well, and maintaining and fine tuning everything throughout the season.

“Not only are they incredibly talented sailors who are a joy to sail with, but they put in a lot of hours behind the scenes.

“I’m proud that despite a bunch of poor results that we always had a laugh together and never took it out on each other. We are all competitive individuals and love being on the podium but can also see the big picture and never forget that it’s about having fun and making memories.

“I still feel very lucky to be a part of such a well-run team.”

Mackie won’t be back next season but Lee, Warner and York will return to chase further silverware next season.

Meanwhile, there is some exciting news emerging in the 13ft class.

It is hoped lone 13ft entrant Noakes 13 (Tom Hughes/Noah Chenhall) will have some company next season in the shape of three or four new boats.

The club’s sailing committee has been working overtime to boost 13s numbers and it appears that perseverance will pay off.

Noakes 13 has been competing alongside the MG14s fleet in a bid to stay race sharp after an excellent campaign at the nationals in January.

Hughes and Chenhall finished second on handicap and 11th on scratch – remarkable results given their preparation.

Backed by their ever-supportive sponsor Noakes, it is hoped the increase in St George fleet numbers will only propel the boys further next season.