Sail-World.com : Yendys takes overall honours at Race Week
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Yendys takes overall honours at Race Week |
Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats X won IRC Racing line honours in the final race at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week today to complete an unblemished record of line honours wins during the week, Geoff Ross’ Reichel/Pugh 55 Yendys has provisionally won the series overall.
In fluky breezes and a strong current that tested all, particularly as it went against the yachts on the return journey home, it was a small boat race which worked in favour of Ross and his crew who had to beat Wild Oats X on corrected time to win the series, which they did.
Although Limit, West Australian Alan Brierty’s Corby 49 won today’s UBS South Molle/Daydream Island Race, Yendys, which Ross says is built for predominantly heavy weather racing, finished well down in 15th, but beat Wild Oats X by four places to claim the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week title. Wild Oats X has finished second overall after a superb week of sailing, with Steven David’s Reichel/Pugh 60 third, making it three Reichel/Pugh designs on the podium.
Third placegetter Steven David said of the series: 'We’ve had an absolute ball. Audi Hamilton Island Race Week set new standards this year, the competition was tougher than ever, so we’ll certainly be back next year.
'We are very happy with our third overall. Since 2003, we’ve finished second twice, won one and finished third this year. You can’t complain about that.'
David also said: 'It was very tricky out there, especially coming home against the tide. The most breeze we saw today was 12-13 knots and that was in the earlier part of the race. Adam Beashel (Emirates Team NZ America’s Cup sailor) did a great job of steering and he will join us for more races.'
All divisions in the 217 boat record fleet started in the Dent Passage this morning, with the IRC Racing division first away at 10.00am.
The IRC Racing, Premier IRC, Performance, Cruiser/Racer IRC and Club Marine Cruising Division 1 contested the 23.3 nautical mile (approx) UBS South Molle/Daydream Island Race, while Cruising Divisions 2 and 3 and the Non-Spinnaker divisions were sent off on a shorter 13.6 nm (approx) course from the start to Dent and Denman Islands and back to Dent Island, then to the finish, due to the light sou-easterly breezes.
It was a spectacular sight on a beautiful warm blue-skied morning as all yachts set kites heading in a northerly direction. In fact it was wall-to-wall spinnakers for the best part of an hour, as spectators were treated to a colourful display as Humpback whales played amongst the fleet, adding that something special to the day.
Breezes were soft in the Dent Passage, but that didn’t stop the excitement at the start, as competitors had a strong current pushing their yachts quickly towards the start, it was a matter of trying to slow down so as not to start prematurely.
IRC Racing
Today’s popular winner was West Australian Alan Brierty and his crew on the Corby 49 Limit.
At the start of the race, Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing crew found themselves having to duck Bob Steel’s new TP52 Quest shortly after the start. Sailing with pace, the Cookson 50 came perilously close to an incident, but managed to execute a big swerve and duck the bigger boat.
Most in the IRC Racing opted for a pin end start, with Graeme Troon’s XLR8 off quickly. Mid line, Wild Joe (Steven David), Wild Oats and Beau Geste (Karl Kwok) got away well too, as did Geoff Ross’ Yendys more towards the boat end of the line.
Wot Yot (Graeme Wood) and You’re Hired (Geoff Morgan/Andrew Banks) got caught in a boat jam at the start, so did not get way as they would have liked.
As the IRC yachts left Dent behind them, wind gusts hit and the fleet took off, with Bob Oatley’s Reichel/Pugh 66 getting the upper hand over Wild Joe early to lead the fleet towards South Molle Island.
As the yachts spread out and made their way around North Molle for the slow beat against the tide home, Wild Oats had a one to two minute lead over Wild Joe with Yendys, yesterday’s series leader on handicap, giving chase.
Halfway down South Molle and right behind Yendys came Quantum Racing and You’re Hired, intent on having a match race to the finish. Just behind them, Beau Geste, loaded up with America’s Cup heavies, gave chase.
Top Kiwi match racer and BMW Oracle tactician Gavin Brady, calling the shots on Beau Geste, left the call too late to tack out of South Molle Island and Beau Geste was left momentarily floundering. Helmsman and fellow BMW Oracle afterguard Mark Bradford struggled to steer Beau Geste through the lull and eventually got going again, but valuable time was lost. Brady, obviously angry with himself, stomped his foot on the deck.
Behind them, Quest caught up time, as did Living Doll, Michael Hiatt’s Cookson 50 from Melbourne.
Premier IRC
Laurence Freedman has provisionally sailed Espresso Forte to a win in the Premier IRC division after being in a three-way tie with Eagle Rock and Carrera (John Meadowcroft). And while Carrera carted off second place overall, Eagle Rock was superseded by Paul Clitheroe’s Balance.
This afternoon, a proud Freedman said: 'This is our sixth year here. We’ve had two third places here and now a win – we’re obviously getting better! Our hardest competition was Eagle Rock and Carrera, but now my next door neighbour and fellow CYCA member has scored third place!'
Clitheroe was just as surprised as Freedman. 'It’s a miracle when you look at our results for the rest of the week, but I’m taking it,' he laughed.
Andrew Short Marine Brindabella (Andrew Short) and Alex-Team MacAdie, co-skippered by father and son crew Jock and Hamish MacAdie got away well and looked comfortable as they ran towards South Molle Island. Dean Harrigan’s Beneteau First 50 Playstation 3 also made the best of the start with multi-talented sailor Michael Spies at the helm and it was clear early on that Laurence Freedman (Espresso Forte) was clear about winning.
The MacAdies have recently returned to Australia after winning line honours in the 5,500 nautical mile Melbourne-Osaka Race and their cruise home.
Second going into today’s final race, Eagle Rock (Ross Wilson) got away well, as did Money Man Paul Clitheroe’s Sydney 47CR Balance. Clitheroe will contest his second Sydney Hobart race this year; his first as skipper.
Cruiser/Racer IRC
Mark Griffith skippered his Bull 9000 Raging Bull to a win in the Cruiser/Racer IRC division, despite finishing well down the leaderboard today, as was the case for many top three finishers across the fleets.
Equinox, Anthony Dunn’s Sydney 36CR sailed well again today and it paid dividends with his second overall finish in the series. Geoff Pearson’s well sailed Archambault 35 rounded of the top placings finishing the series third overall.
The Ian Box owned and skippered Toy Box got away comfortably and looked smooth under spinnaker, along with FKP Mean Machine Chris Rabbige and Ian Uther’s colourful modified Mumm 36 and John Bacon’s Hussy.
Performance Racing
Dave Witt steered George Gregan Foundation into pole position at the start. Before long famous Aussie boatbuilder John McConaghy had Second Time Around sailing hard, bow down, under kite – and that’s how the top two places rounded out provisionally overall in the Performance Racing division. Wallop, Peter Hewson’s Sydney 41, finished third overall.
Aboard Rumbo, Guy and Clark Holbert and their small crew looked very relaxed in the perfect light-weather conditions throughout the race.
Whale Watching Sydney Liesl appeared to be doing just that – whale watching, as the slowly cruised the course, as Rod Skellet’s unusual looking Pope 40, Krakatoa II loped along with renowned navigator and pilot Roger Grimes helping with tactics. Jeffery Paul’s Mumm 30 Immigrant was quick off the line too.
Club Marine Cruising Division 1
Graham Smith’s X-43 Scaramouche never looked like being beaten in the Club Marine Cruising 1 division. A clear 10 points ahead going into today’s race, Smith capitalised to take the series from Escape, Graham Jones’ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49 and the Oceanic Hustler, an Olsen 50 owned and skippered by Bruce Finlay.
Stephen Keal and his crew on Fish Frenzy looked to be in the groove in this division, along with Chris Carlisle’s Piano Man. Sandstone may not have been the fastest boat on the track, but Mike Davies and his crew were making the best of their day and enjoying themselves.
Doug Ryan looked keen to replay his win of Day 1 with his Farr 1104 Magic, while Ian Miller’s Young Ones crew were playing catch-up and the big Open 60 Gusto 1, with Brian Pattinson at the helm, made the best of his big boat status at the front end of their fleet.
Other Cruising Divisions
Cruising Divisions 2 and 3, along with the Non-Spinnaker division were the last classes to start. The heavier boats found it hard going until clearing Dent Passage.
Viva La Vita, Tony Bates’ Northshore 330, looked to be making a good job of Cruising Division 2, and she did, announced as provisional winner of Cruising 2 division.
Magnolia, Peter Higgins’ classic S&S58, took home second place overall, with Farrago, Tom & Emily McCutcheon’s Phase 4, claiming third overall.
During the race, the beautiful Seastream 650 Celera (Patrick Smith) with celebrated sailor Nev Wittey at the helm looked elegant and sleek, whilst the Holy Cow crew (John Clinton) looked competitive but fairly relaxed.
In Cruising 3 division, David Berry (Escapade) scored his third win on the trot yesterday and followed up with a second today to claim a well deserved series win from Paul Melling’s Morning Mist and Jim Shannon’s lovely S&S34 Meltemi taking home third place.
In the Non Spinnaker Division, yesterday’s leader, Terence Herbert’s True Colours did enough again today to win this division overall from Bryan Hudson’s Catalyst, which has held on to its second place overall from yesterday, whilst Mike Walter and his Mim crew held of the competition to hold onto third place overall.
New Race Director Denis Thompson stated: 'We had a few little glitches on the opening day, but they were rectified and I’m very happy with the way the regatta has gone. We made some changes to the courses this year and the sailors are really happy, so our race management team is happy too.'
Thompson went on to say: 'We may look at the way we start races. I get a bit nervous with a big fleet in Dent Passage in some conditions and we could get 250 for the 25th anniversary next year.'
Audi Hamilton Island Race Week is all but over for another year – and what an event it has been. As many commented, new major naming right’s sponsor, Audi Australia, has made the regatta a bigger and better one.
One announcement is left to be made though – the winner of the Audi A4 Avant. This major prize will go to one of the divisional winners mentioned above.
Earlier in the week, a representative from each competing boat was given the opportunity of competing in the Audi Drive Challenge, and the winner of that challenge from the divisional winners at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, will drive away with a new car. That person’s name will be announced this evening at the official prizegiving.
by Di Pearson
7:03 AM Sat 25 Aug 2007 GMT
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