Combined Hobart Clubs Long Race Series – Betsey Island Race overall

by Peter Campbell on 17 Feb 2013 Betsey Island Race, the sixth race of the Combined Hobart Clubs Long Race Series, was hosted by Derwent Sailing Squadron today and produced new leaders in the AMS and PHS handicap pointscores, with just one long race to sail next month.

Tactical sailing in light winds early in the day, followed by good sail trimming on a faster spinnaker run back up the Derwent, produced the winners in the 34 nautical mile race around Betsey Island, in Storm Bay, for Group 1 and 2 yachts and also for the Group 3 boats, which sailed a shorter course within the river.

Line honours went to David Graney’s trimaran Rocket Alice, which finished comfortably ahead of the first keelboat, Stephen Keal’s Cyclone, but mid-fleet on corrected time.

Group 1 AMS handicap went to Peter Haros’ Wings Three, from Tony Harman’s Masquerade and David Taylor’s Pisces, but a solid fourth has lifted Sydney Hobart racer Martela (Tony Williams) back to top of the leaderboard, although just one point ahead of Tas Paints (Ian Stewart).

Wings Three and The Protagonist (Colin Denny) are equal third, just one point back in the pointscore, setting the stage for a showdown in the Combined Clubs Long Race on March 16.

In the PHS category for Group 1, a fourth place by Peter Masterton’s Pirate’s Parade has moved it up to first place on the leader board, four points ahead of Tas Paints. Wings Three also won the PHS category, second place going to Cyclone, third to Pisces.

Under IRC scoring, the winner was David Taylor’s Pisces, from Martela and The Protagonist, which leads the pointscore.

Anthony Ellis’ Moonshadow won Group 2 PHS from Jigsaw (Neil Snare) and Footloose (Stewart Geeves), with Jigsaw remaining a clear leader in the pointscore from Footloose and Moonshadow. Under AMS scoring, Moonshadow also won, but Footloose remains at the top of the leaderboard.

Group 3 saw close racing with Tim Maddocks’ Quebrada winning from series leader Take Five (Ian Gannon) and Camlet Way (Steve Mannering). Take Five remains at the top of the leaderboard.

In Sydney today, Andrew Hunn and his Voodoo Chile crew, sailing a chartered Sydney yacht, finished fourth overall at the end of day one of the Farr 40 New South Wales championship.

Voodoo Chile had a score of 7-3-3 for 13 points, to be close behind Sydney yachts Transfusion (Guido Belgiorno-Nettis) and Estate Master (Lisa and Martin Hill) both on 11 points. Overall leader is Kokomo (Lang Walker) on 5 points after one win and two seconds today.