Limit throws out challenge to Patrice Six

by Peter Campbell on 4 Jan 2008 Expat Tasmanian yachtsman Roger Hickman today turned on a spectacular display of power sailing to drive the Corby 49 Limit to victory in the 31 nautical mile Betsey Island Race, the long race of the Huon Aquaculture Sailing South Regatta 2008.

However, Hickman and Limit need to score two more wins on the final day tomorrow to overtake pointscore leader Tony Kirby and his new boat, Patrice Six, a X-41 class yacht from Denmark. Patrice Six would have to finish third or worse on corrected time in both races to lose her advantage.

Hickman and Limit (previously called Flirt) won the prestigious Charles E Davies Memorial Trophy last year, continuing the Tasmanian-born, now Sydney-based yachtsman’s success in Sailing South since it was introduced in 2001.

'We were surfing back across Storm Bay from Betsey Island to the Iron Pot (at the mouth of Hobart Derwent River), topping 18.9 knots in the 20-25 knot nor’easter,' he said at The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania after today’s hard race.

'That’s when we got our winning margin today over Patrice Six, but Tony will be hard to beat tomorrow.

'We have great respect for Tony as an international yachtsman and helmsman of great skill and he is sailing a boat that has had proven results in Europe.'

The IRC fleet today had a spinnaker run down the Derwent from the start off Castray Esplanade in a freshening northerly breeze, but by the time they reached the Iron Pot and sailed into the open waters of Storm Bay the nor’easter was really smoking.

Limit made a spectacular sight as she beat to windward around Betsey Island, the turning mark, about 16 minutes ahead of Endorfin (David Kellett) and Patrice Six which were crossing tacks in the narrow channel between Betsey Island and Blackjack Rock.

The exhilarating spinnaker run back to the Iron Pot, followed by a fast reach up the river to White Rock enabled Limit to open up her lead and, although a wind shift meant some 20 tacks from Opossum Bay to the finish at Castray Esplanade, she finished nearly 34 minutes ahead of Endorfin and 37 minutes in front of Patrice Six.

Going in to tomorrow’s final two windward/leeward races, Patrice Six is on 4 points, Limit 8 points, Endorfin 10, followed by local yachts Pisces (David Taylor) on 11 and Silver Mist (Andrew Sutherland) 12 points.

Silver Mist took out PHS Division 1 honours today from Patrice Six and Limit and leads the overall standings with 4 points from Endorfin on 5 points and Pisces 7 points.

Heading PHS Division 2 is John Hunn, sailing Attilla, with 5 points followed by Just Jones (Peter Giblin) on 8 points and today’s winner Xcite (Robin White) on 11 points.

In PHS Division 3, Tihany (Julius Szolvik) won again today to head the overall standings with 2 points, with Epoxy Warrior (Ross Mannering) second on 4 points and Lewis Marine (Paddy Hodgman) third overall on 7 points