Cruisin’ to the finish of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week

by Lisa Ratcliff on 29 Aug 2009 For the final day of racing at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week the IRC Passage 2, Performance Racing 1 and 2, Cruising 1, 2 and 3 and Non-Spinnaker divisions were sent on a 17.5 nautical mile island course around Denman Island and White Rock.

Following an extremely slow finish in Dent Passage in 'ordinary' breeze the final series results were a lottery, according to the eventual Performance Racing division 2 winning skipper Andy Kearnan.

Kearnan’s Sydney 32 Wirrajurnd (CYCA) sailed a brilliant series, their final tally including four firsts on handicap, to finish two points clear of club mate Andy Stoeckel’s Beneteau 42 Integrity and Roger Down’s Farr 11.6 True Love (WSC).

Paul Clitheroe’s Beneteau 45 Balance took top honours in the IRC Passage Division 1 results by the slimmest of margins, Clitheroe admitting 'it’s nice to go one better' than his previous best Race Week results, a second and third in division with a former boat.

'We just snuck in by one point. Blue Water won today’s race and we finished second, which was just enough to get us over the line,' said a relieved Clitheroe.

'There was no breeze for the final two hours; if they hadn’t shortened the course we would have all missed the presentation tonight.

'We have been a model of consistency this week, which is unusual for me.

'Thankfully for my wife it’s been a fantastic week to be a tourist on Hamilton Island.'

In Performance Racing division 1, Edward Earl’s Beneteau 47.7 Ishtar sailing for the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Sydney outclassed Ray Haslar’s NZ Davidson 35 Jive Talkin’ by one point.

Earl’s last Race Week win was in the late 1980s with a former boat. His crew makeup is a little different this time around with four husband and wife teams as well as his daughter and son part of the winning crew.