Sail Port Stephens - IRC crews primed for action

by Lisa Ratcliff on 3 Apr 2014 Sail Port Stephens is ready and waiting to offer those crews priming for the Audi IRC Australian Championship in Newcastle the perfect chance to fine-tune; a state title just prior to the feature game.

A healthy list of boat owners have nominated for the NSW IRC Championship April 11 – 13, the regatta opener for the 2014 edition to give those crews opting for the double enough time to get to Newcastle for the subsequent Australian title.

The three-day state shakedown on the first weekend of the NSW school holidays has expectedly drawn a largely NSW fleet plus Tony Lyall’s TP52 Cougar II all the way from Tasmania and Karl Kwok’s Team Beau Geste which has been campaigned in Australian waters for the past two years by its Hong Kong owner.

The TP52 class association ran a separate series last year. Movement among owners in the past six months has seen the remaining active crews merge with existing major events.

Team Beau Geste was the outright winner of the class’ standalone regatta, an IRC regatta for TP52s and like boats. It’s been two years since they raced against the broad Australian IRC fleet, at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week.

Helmsman Gavin Brady said, 'Team Beau Geste is in the same configuration we were in during the TP52 Southern Cross Cup Series. It’s a set up that is good in all conditions, very much an all-round set up for the large range of conditions you’d expect in April.'

A diverse IRC fleet is preparing for the state title.

Brothers Derek and Martin Sheppard and their Beneteau 45 Black Sheep are primed for another ding-dong battle with sistership Balance skippered by Paul Clitheroe, though results are just one motivator.

'We try as hard as we can but it’s more about sailing with friends than a super hot shot crew,' said Derek Sheppard. 'We enjoy the competition with Wild Rose and Balance, it makes for a bit of fun. Roger Hickman and the Wild Rose team are fantastic campaigners, somewhat similar to our approach but slightly more professional. They are the yardstick to whether we have had a good day and likewise if we can keep up with Balance we know we are doing Ok.'

Balance was fortunate enough to take out top IRC honours in the recent Sydney Harbour Regatta, lifting crew confidence going into the next bout. On the spirit of competition between the Beneteaus Clitheroe said, 'While we do enjoy racing similar boats and in particular the other 45s such as Black Sheep we would prefer to see them behind us, not in front'.

The Sheppard brothers kept boats in different states and were travelling back and forth between Sydney and Melbourne to crew for each other. They decided to rationalise and purchase one boat capable of withstanding the rigours of offshore racing, in particular the Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Black Sheep became theirs the day before Sail Port Stephens last year, the delivery the very first time they stepped on the boat. The second time was the opening race of last year’s IRC pointscore. 'We were pretty average, we didn’t know where the ropes went,' laughs Derek.

A year has passed and they’ve learned the ropes, Martin travelling from Melbourne where he lives and Derek from Wollongong to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia where Black Sheep is berthed.

The crew will stay on after the IRC states for the Commodore’s Cup designed for the more cruising inclined. 'We’ve done every Sail Port Stephens there’s been,' said Derek. 'We don’t really care how we do it, either in our own boat or we sail with someone.'

Derek says two nearby units have been booked, 'one for the family and the other for the riff raff. It’s a toss-up as to which unit will have the most children in it, and make the most noise.'

Lining up for the Pantaenius Commodore’s Cup after the IRC state title is going to be a challenge Derek admits. 'The Commodore’s Cup is probably my preferred option but we are still competitive and want to do the IRC to race against Wild Rose and Balance. It’s going to be tough managing the social offerings after three IRC races per day.'

Black Sheep will race with a mixed crew, mostly from Sydney and Wollongong.

Sail Port Stephens entries have now closed however late applications may be accepted.

Event website: click here