Skies the limit for Alan Brierty in Savills SORC

by Peter Campbell on 25 Nov 2007 West Australian yachtsman Alan Brierty has embraced yachting in Sydney with open arms, not only campaigning a ocean racing yacht called Limit for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race but also a Sydney 38 One Design class boat of the same name.

Brierty and his sailing master Roger Hickman entered both boats for the Savills 30th annual Short Ocean Racing Championship sailed off Sydney Heads this weekend but elected to race the Sydney 38.

Going into today's racing a close fourth overall after an 8-2-3 results yesterday, helmsman Hickman was in great form, winning the first race and finishing runner-up in the second race.

Going into sixth and final race, Limit had moved into second place in the pointscore, but still five points behind overall leader Calibre, skippered by Geoff Bonus, also from the CYCA.

Sailing conditions were excellent, with a 10-12 knot south-easterly breeze on a warm sunny day - in contrast to the generally overcast and drizzly conditions of yesterday.

The close boat for boat racing in the Sydney 38 and the Farr 40 classes epitomised the concept of one-design offshore racing.

In race one of the Sydney 38s, Limit won by just 17 seconds from Calibre, in third place was Uplift (Darryl Hodgkinson), a further 15 seconds astern.

The winning margin for The Tavern (Ian Guanaria) in race today was also 17 seconds, second place going to Limit, with just seven seconds to Calibre and one second to fourth placed Rush, skippered by Cameron Miles and crew members of Loki.

Racing was almost as tight in the Farr 40 class, with Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron member Ivan Wheen winning the first race of the day in Sputnik. This is Sputnik's first regatta back in Australia after placing fourth overall in the Farr 40 World Championships in Denmark.

Newly elected Middle Harbour Yacht Club Commodore Martin Hill finished second with Estate Master, third place going to New Zealander Brett Neil in White Cloud.

Class stalwart Marcus Blackmore steering Hooligan from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, scored his second win of the Savills SORC in race two today, by just 12 seconds from Middle Harbour Yacht Club member Guido Belgiorno-Nettis, helming Transfusion, with Sputnik 31 seconds further astern.

Blackmore, heading the pointcore after day one, saw his then nearest rival Kokomo, helmed by Neville Crichton back in eighth place and virtually out of contention for a podium place.