Sydney Yachts continue domination of IRC class in JPMorgan Regatta.

by Rob Kothe on 3 Dec 2001 Sydney Yachts reminded the yachting world they are amongst the best at putting super competitive IRC racing yachts on the water with another dominant result sheet.

When the Sydney 38's first started racing in 2000, Sydney Yachts blanketed the IRC division at Hamilton Island and again had a great result in 2001. They have now achieved outstanding results in the prestigious JPMorgan regatta, the racing season opener before the Southern Cross Cup, Sydney to Hobart and the Coffs Harbour regatta.

For the 72-boat fleet in this Short ocean-racing classic the Premier division was IRC. Sydney 38's filled the podium positions. Last years winner the Sydney 36 'Salt Shaker' came fourth, followed by two more Sydney 38's with the turbo charged Sydney 40 T 'Sledgehammer' seventh.

The evenness of the fleet was remarkable, with six Sydney 38's finishing within 35 seconds in one race and margins of just a second being common. 2000 National Champion Vaughan Stibbard explained, 'The racing was intense. We got out of phase in the last 100 metres in race 3 and it cost us three places'.

Series winner Barry Moore and his stalwart crew on 'Blowfly' exhibited the slickest crew-work and that was the difference in this tight series, which was won after two count back rounds.

'Loki', the superbly campaigned Swan 48, winner of the 2000 Telstra Cup IRC division came eighth in this regatta.


Sail No Yacht Skipper RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE3 RACE 4 TOTAL POINTS PLACE

5944 BLOWFLY BARRY MOORE 1.00 3.00 7.00 4.00 15.00 1

6157 LONDON TAVERN JUSTIN LAMBETH 4.00 5.00 1.00 5.00 15.00 2

6081 RACING LINE NEXT MATT WENKE 3.00 4.00 2.00 6.00 15.00 3

5826 SALT SHAKER PETER FRANKI 9.00 2.00 6.00 2.00 19.00 4

8838 THE BUSINESS VAUGHAN STIBBARD 6.00 8.00 3.00 8.00 25.00 5

6095 NO OPTIONS G HALLIDAY / CORMACK 8.00 7.00 10.00 1.00 26.00 6

5785 SLEDGEHAMMER RON JONES 7.00 10.00 5.00 7.00 29.00 7

PLACINGS AFTER COUNTBACK