Intrigue’s light weather wins in Long Race Series

by Peter Campbell on 29 Nov 2014 Veteran Hobart yachtsman Don Calvert underlined his skills as a light weather helmsman on the Derwent today, steering his 30-year-old Intrigue to a double handicap victory in the Combined Clubs Long Race Series.

It was the Castro 40’s third consecutive win under AMS scoring for the Group A fleet in the Long Race Series, while under IRC scoring she has notched up two wins and a third.

Over three decades Intrigue has achieved a remarkable record, beginning with representing Australia in the 1985 Admiral’s Cup, but interrupted briefly late last season with a broken mast.

Now, with a new mast, easier rig handling and a bigger spinnaker, she appears even faster, notably on the long spinnaker runs in light to moderate winds such as yesterday’s five - fifteen knot sou’easter.

Derwent Sailing Squadron Race officer Gilbert Leitch sent the three Groups on different courses, each designed to give the fleets long windward and downwind legs. 'I’ve sent them on courses that should give them plenty of tactical sailing in a sou’easter, a change from the westerlies we’ve had recently,' he explained after the Castray start for the 35 boats.

Intrigue was fourth to finish the 32 nautical mile course for Group A, down the Derwent to Ralphs Bay, then out to Black Jack Rocks in Storm Bay, from where she enjoyed a spinnaker reach and run back to Hobart.

On corrected time, the Castro 40 won the AMS category from Peter Haros’ Wings III and Tony Williams’ Martela, having her last Hobart race before heading north for the 70th Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Under IRC scoring, Intrigue won from Martela and Colin Denny’s The Protagonist which will be a strong contender this year’s National Pies’ Launceston to Hobart.

Wings III got a brilliant start in Group A and deservedly won the PHS category, taking corrected time honours from Illusion (David Brett) and Ciao Baby II (Gary Cripps). Line honours went to John Mills’ Nexedge by about one minute from Roger Jackman’s Doctor Who both ended up down the list on corrected times.

Going into the Christmas break for the Long Race Series, Intrigue heads both the AMS and IRC scoreboard while TasPaints (Ian Stewart) heads the PHS scoring for Group A.

Group B sailed a 24 nautical mile course down to Ralphs Bay and back to Castray, twice, with Tom Pilkington’s flyer Storm Dragon blitzing the fleet but placing last on corrected time.

First place on PHS went to one of the tailenders, Ian Gannon’s well-sailed Take Five from Vasco (Graeme Hamilton) and Miss Conduct (Brian Fleming) while under AMS scoring Footloose (Stewart Geeves) was again the winner from Take Five and Hot Prospect (Ian Marshall).

The Group B scoreboard now shows Trouble (Dave Willans) just one point ahead of Footloose in the PHS category, with Footloose holding a clear margin from Hot Prospect in the AMS category.

Octogenarian yachtsman Tom Kirkland scored his second win in a week in Group C. Last Saturday he sailed Ragtime to victory in the Harbour Series and today he won again, this time in the Long Race Series.

Sailing an 18 nautical mile within the river, Ragtime scored a close win on corrected time from Kindred Spirit (Peter Alcock) and Alibi II (Rod Williams.)

After three races, Camlet Way (Steve Mannering) heads the scoreboard in Group C by two points from Kindred Spirit.

The first race of the Combined Clubs Long Race Series, postponed because of a gale, will now be sailed on Saturday, January 18.