Rolex Sydney Hobart flavour to Morna Cup

Ariel Peter Campbell

Tim Cox © Andrea Francolini Photography http://www.afrancolini.com/

Seven yachts entered in the 70th Rolex Sydney Yacht Race contested the Morna Cup, although last year’s winner Victoire, an entrant, did not start.

The Morna Cup is one of three short ocean races conducted each summer by the RSYS with today’s 28-boat fleet sailing off the Heads in a light south-easterly breeze, starting and finishing within the Harbour at Watsons Bay.

The RSYS’s Morna Cup is decided on PHS scoring with Ariel, a Beneteau First 40, winning on corrected time by a close 1 minute and 12 seconds from Minerva, a Reichel/Pugh designed DK43, third place going to the J122 Jackpot, skippered by Adrian van Bellen.

Ariel has not entered the Grant Thornton SOPS series and first place in the PHS division then awarded to Minerva from Jackpot and another entrant for the 70th Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Willyama.

Willyama, also a Beneteau First 40, was helmed today by Trish Stanley but co-owner Richard Barron will be skipper in the Sydney Hobart.

Forster and van Bellen both race out of the CYCA while Cox is a member of the RSYS, as is Stanley.

Cox will again be chairman of the race committee for this year’s 70th Rolex Sydney Hobart which will be officially launched next Tuesday with a fleet of 118 boats expected on the start line on Boxing Day, 26 December.

Division two yachts raced for the G Carter perpetual trophy with first place going to Velocity (Brian Carrick) from Arcturus 3 (Peter Davenport) and Solange (William Hutchinson).

IRC results for the Grant Thornton SOPS series saw Division One go to Justadash (Philip Dash) by just 28 seconds on corrected time from another Rolex Sydney Hobart entrant, Robin Hawthorn’s Imagination, and Jackpot.

IRC Division two went to Saltshaker (Peter Franki) from Crosshaven and King Billy (Philip Cox).

Complete Results:

Division One PHSTCF results: