Revised placings Division 2 - Skandia Geelong Week

by Di Pearson on 28 Jan 2008 Subsequent to the announcement and press release that As Good As it Gets (Richard Fidock, SA) and Patrice Six (Tony Kirby, NSW) had finished second and third to Peter Sorensen’s Philosophers Club in Division 2 of the Audi Series at Skandia Geelong Week, race officials discovered an error.

In a flurry of yachts finishing in quick succession in the huge fleet on Corio Bay late yesterday afternoon, officials missed finishing two yachts that as it turns out, were crucial to the pointscore.

It was not until the relevant yacht owners approached the race committee, and finish video footage of the Division 2 was reviewed, that Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson was able to confirm the error.

“It’s one of those things that sometimes happens in a fast finishing fleet,” said Thompson.

While Philosophers Club remains the winner of Division 2, the updated overall series second place getter is in fact Grant Botica’s Executive Decision, an Adams 10 representing the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. The result relegates Dick Fidock’s As Good As It Gets from second place to third.

Already bumped out of third place and off the podium, Patrice Six’s Tony Kirby and crew suffered the further indignity of being knocked a further place to fifth place overall, while the second missed boat, Robert Hick’s self designed 30 footer Toecutter 2, moved up into fourth place overall.

Either way you look at it, there was disappointment for all those involved, but as we say in this business, “that’s yacht racing.”

Tony Kirby, although disappointed to find he had moved down the standings, was pleased to help retain the Teams Trophy for his home club in Sydney, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

“Of course it’s disappointing to find you didn’t get a top three place that you thought you had in your hand. It’s hard on the crew too, but oh well, these things can happen. We’re just happy with can share in the CYCA Teams Trophy with Quest and Wot Yot,” Kirby said.

In total, 467 boats took part in the annual Skandia Geelong Week, Australia’s oldest and largest keelboat regatta.

www.geelongweek.com