Entire Cock of the Bay 2005

by Jennifer McGuigan on 26 Dec 2005 On a day that sees Melbourne’s sporting public heading to the MCG for the traditional Boxing Day clash of leather on willow, that other draw card is undoubtedly the Entire Cock of the Bay race.

Today, in beautiful sunshine, a field of 87 yachts gathered in the vicinity of Station Pier, Port Melbourne to contest the start. With only five knots of breeze and all boats starting on one line the situation was always going to be a squeeze, but also a great spectacle. Despite the pushing up, there were no recalls with Laurelle, an Austral Super 30, from the Royal Yacht Club making the best start, closely followed by Outrageous in the middle of the line and Gomez at the start boat end.

With light conditions and a course that is deliberately laid to hug the shore from St Kilda past Brighton pier, Green Point and on to Sandringham, the race has provided spectators with a closer than usual view of these magnificent yachts. Light breezes mean greater reliance on the team tactician with all boats looking for the smallest wind gusts and the smoothest ride. By 3.30 pm the front runners were working hard to maintain momentum in four knots of breeze. Gomez, Steve Chiodo’s Sydney 47 CR from Sandringham, was leading a field including Tevake II, Gusto, Secret Mens Business, Alien, Just a Minor Hickup, Quetzalcoatl and Merlion. Heading to Hovell Pile at the entrance to the South channel, the race director, Noel May, was considering a shortened course to allow all boats the chance of a finish. As he was preparing for the new finish line the wind shifted and lifted to a steady 15 knots, propelling Gomez around the Hovell pile and making the original finish line off Blairgowrie possible for all the fleet.

Shortly after six o’clock, Gomez led a winning Sandringham Yacht Club trifecta across the line, second place going to Bullistic and third to Smooth Criminal. The importance of this race to those going on to the two ocean races, Melbourne to Hobart and Melbourne to Launceston, should not be under estimated. The Cock of the Bay is the first race of the Sovereign series, for the Hobart boats, and the Rudder Cup for the Launceston boats. Points from this race are added to the ocean race result and then finalised after the King of the Derwent race in Hobart and The Port of Launceston Cup in Launceston. As the boats finish tonight, handicap positions will be looked at carefully, before setting out tomorrow for the race through the heads into Bass Strait.