Yendys takes overall honours at Race Week

by Di Pearson on 25 Aug 2007 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 Mari