Rookie skipper looking at possible IMS win

by Lisa Ratcliff on 1 Aug 2001 At 11.32am this morning, rookie skipper Terry Mullens finished his first offshore yacht race aboard the grand prix IMS racer Sting and this afternoon, he is contemplating his first handicap win with the new boat.

Having only taken ownership of the champion Farr 49 Sting - overall winner of the 1999 Sydney to Hobart when it was racing as Yendys - just over a month ago, Mullens is delighted with his position over the line and a possible divisional victory.

'It didn't matter whether we were sailing in three knots of breeze or 30, the boat just felt so comfortable,' said Mullens at Southport Yacht Club this afternoon. 'We will be happy with a first or a second and if George gets it, congratulations to him. I'm satisfied with the fact we were the first IMS boat of our size to finish.'

Until more IMS boats complete the 386 nautical mile Sydney to Gold Coast Race, and the post-constructed course results are calculated, placings are only provisional. This has the two leading contenders for the prestigious IMS trophy - George Snow's Brindabella and Mullens - anxiously awaiting the outcome.

Both yachts have entered the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Bluewater Pointscore series and are hoping to pick up valuable points in this race, the opening race of the series from which the 2001-2002 Bluewater Champion will be named.

In the last few hours, Antaeus (Charles St. Clair Brown), Sayernara (Rob Drury) and Gary Anderson's Bullistic have crossed the finish line off Southport's Main Beach.

The next group of boats due includes Never a Dull Moment (Colin Wilson), SAP Ausmaid (Kevan Pearce), The Dreamtime (John Woodruff) and the only South Australian entry, Secret Mens Business (Geoff Boettcher).

Victorian entry Rouseabout recently reported their position off Ballina and advised they were sailing in a 17-knot nor'easter and 'thoroughly enjoying it,' according to skipper John Rouse. 'This is what we came up [from Victoria] for,' he added.

Three more yachts have retired from a starting line up of 53 and have arrived in or are heading to Coffs Harbour - Greg Gleeson's Mirrabooka, Moty Bergman's J Force and Mike Kelaher's Santana.

The official prize giving for this year's 16th annual Sydney to Gold Coast Race will be held tomorrow at Southport Yacht Club once enough yachts have finished to allow final placings to be calculated.

For media enquiries, please contact Lisa Ratcliff on 0418 428 511.