Lexus King of the Derwent - Alive heads strong fleet

by Peter Campbell on 31 Dec 2014 Hobart’s iconic yacht race, the Lexus of Hobart King of the Derwent to be sailed on Friday, 2 January is expected to attract a fleet of more than 50 yachts headed by the powerful Reichel/Pugh 66 Alive.

Alive, owned by Derwent Sailing Squadron member Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, also a DSS member, finished sixth across the line in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, snapping at the transoms of the super maxis.

The forecast north-easterly winds of 15-20 knots should produce spectacular racing on the Derwent estuary with race officers likely to set spectator-friendly but competitor-demanding courses.

The race starts from a mid-river line at 2:00pm, with rounding marks close to both sides of the river.

Overall winner of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Wild Rose, is also a likely starter as owner/skipper Roger Hickman has been a regular competitor in the King of the Derwent.

Prominent local yachts entered include War Games, X&Y and Mem with combined clubs pointscore leaders Intrigue and Invincible also expected to compete.

State of the art Sydney yacht Patrice, skippered by Tony Kirby, is another Sydney Hobart yacht expected to join the big fleet of local boats and entrants in the Launceston to Hobart and Melbourne to Hobart Races.

The prestigious winner of the Lexus of Hobart King of Derwent will be the first boat under IRC ratings but trophies will also be awarded under AMS and PHS.

In addition, for all boats that competed in the 2014 National Pies Launceston to Hobart, the 70th Rolex Sydney Hobart and the 2014 Melbourne to Hobart races and also start in the 2015 Lexus of Hobart King of the Derwent there will be two random draws for a cash prize of $500. The skipper must be present at the trophy presentation at the DSS following the King of the Derwent to win.

The Lexus of Hobart King of the Derwent is also the final race in three-event series for yachts in the L2H and M2H races.

After two races in the Launceston to Hobart Series, the first race was the Beauty Point to Low Head dash, the second the Launceston to Hobart, Off-Piste leads under both IRC and AMS scoring, Seduction heads the M2H West Coaster series while Coutouche heads the M2H East Coaster series.