Milson Memorial Race - Clitheroe gets the right balance

by Peter Campbell on 13 Feb 2011 Milson Memorial Race - Each year the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron conducts two prestigious short ocean races for historic trophies, the Gascoigne Cup and the Milson Memorial Cup – and Paul Clitheroe has won them both this season.

Sailing his Beneteau First 45 Balance, Clitheroe yesterday won the Milson Memorial Cup, underlining the heavy weather sailing ability of his crew and their boat. It’s been an excellent ocean racing season for Clitheroe, best known as the television ‘money man’, having also won the tough Gosford to Lord Howe Island Race last October as well as Gascoigne Cup in November.

The twenty nautical mile Milson Cup Race was also a hard race with the fleet sailing in a twenty to twenty-five knot southerly and lumpy seas that saw most boats carrying number three headsails and full mains.

'We had great fun out there, particularly flying a two and a half ounce spinnaker on the downwind run back to the Harbor,' said John Maclurcan, who skippered Morag Bheag into second place overall on the PHS handicaps which decide the Milson Cup.

Balance finished second across the line after a close race with David Forbes’ Merlin, following the retirement of big boat, Ginger. On corrected time, Balance won by a comfortable five minutes from Morag Bheag, third place going to Merlin. Under IRC ratings, Balance also took the honors, beating Imagination (Annette & Robin Hawthorn) and Merlin.

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