Australia Day honours to Gretel II, Brindabella, About Time

by peter_campbell@bigpond.com on 27 Jan 2014 In yesterday’s 178th Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour Gretel II, the famous Australian America’s Cup challenger of more than 44 years ago, produced another fine sailing effort, taking line and handicap honours in the Classic 1 division.

Gretel II was one of several prominent yachts to score victories on Australia Day with former Sydney Hobart line honours winner Brindabella (Jim Cooney) also scoring a double win in the Open Division one of the Harbour regatta and Julian Farren-Price’s About Time winning the Australia Day City of Sydney Cup short ocean race to Botany Bay and return.

About Time had a great day at sea, also as well as scoring wins under IRC and ORCi ratings in the Ocean Pointscore, sailed as part of the Botany Bay race.

On a day of light to moderate breezes, nearly 70 yachts and skiffs contested the Harbour Regatta which followed an aquatic spectacle of swimming races, the Ferrython, a Tall Ships race and spectacular Defence Forces events on and above the Harbour.

A fleet of 28 yachts contested the Botany Bay return race conducted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, retracing the course of the First Fleet from its original anchorage in Botany Bay to Port Jackson in 1778.

Gretel II, skippered by Michael Maxwell, current ‘custodian’ of the veteran but beautifully refurbished 12-metre class yacht, outsailed her opposition, which included smaller metre class yachts and former Sydney Hobart races.

Gretel II took line honours from the 30 square metre yacht Fagel Grip (Jerry Lees) and former ocean racer Mister Christian (David Salter) and on corrected time won from Gusto (Phillip Denison) and Anitra V (Philip Brown).

Brindabella, back from contesting her 21st Sydney Hobart Race, elected for the colourful atmosphere of the 178th Australia Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour rather than the traditional Australia Day race to Botany Bay and return.

Australia’s best known maxi yacht won a duel for line honours with Regatta President Charles Curran’s 60-foot harbour racer Sydney and on corrected time won from Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron contenders Huntress (Philip Grove) and Braveheart (Bill Meiklejohn).

Other ADR14 division winners were Cherub (Mark Pearse), Akela (Alan Mather), Miss Pibb (Hamish Jarrett), Allegro (John Taylor) and Isea II (Matt Collis) while the Historic Skiff race went to The Mistake (Jeremy Sharp).

Line honours in the Australia Day City of Sydney Cup race to Botany Bay and return went to Upshot (Wayne Keavy) thus winning the Geoff Lee Trophy, donated by the late longtime chairman of the Australia Day Regatta organising committee, now headed by John Jeremy.

On corrected time, wellknown CYCA and RSYS member Julian Farren-Price steered About Time to first place from Pazazz (Rob Drury) and Outlandish (Sean Barrett).

The Botany Bay race was also part of the CYCA’s Grant Thornton Short Ocean Pointcore and the Ocean Pointscore.

In the SOPS Division one, David Forbes’ Merlin took line and handicap honours under PHS scoring, winning PHS on corrected time from Nine Dragons (Bob Cox) and Minerva (Tim Cox). Merlin also won the IRC category from Nine Dragons, Brannew (Chris Bran) placing third.

In SOPS Division two, Outlandish (Sean Barrett) won the PHS category from Alpha Carinae (Damian Barker) and Velocity (Brian Carrick). Under IRC scoring, Crosshaven (Justin Pelly and Sean Rahilly) won from King Billy (Philip Bennett).

About Time added wins under IRC and ORCi in Division one of the Ocean Pointscore to its City of Sydney Cup victory, winning IRC on corrected time from Merlin and Brannew.

Under ORCi scoring, About Time won from Sydney Hobart competitor Midnight Rambler, skippered by Ed Psaltis, and Paul Clitheroe’s Balance.

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