Howard de Torres’ Nips ‘n Tux named CYCA’s 2003-2004 Bluewater Champion

by Lisa Ratcliff on 5 Apr 2004 Howard de Torres has been named the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's 2003-2004 Bluewater Champion after a strong performance in the final race with his X-Yachts IMX 40 Nips n Tux, delivered him the top placing in the IMS, IRC and PHS pointscores.

The FKP Sydney Mooloolaba Race marked the finish of the prestigious pointscore series and going into this race, de Torres was leading the IMS Bluewater, IRC Cape Byron and PHS Tasman Pointscore Series.

He never assumed he had sewn up the eight-race pointscore, however, until he'd crossed the finish line at Mooloolaba as two out of the three nights at sea he found himself adrift in no breeze.

'A couple of times we thought the situation was hopeless,' Howard said.

'On our last night at sea we were actually drifting backwards in 2 knots of current but once the following breeze filled in, we were able to claw our way back to our nearest rival Quest.'

For 69-year-old de Torres, a Sydney plastic surgeon who only began ocean racing nine years ago, this win is the culmination of learning about ocean racing, eliminating mistakes and assembling a strong and reliable crew.

'We set out to win the Bluewater Pointscore this year, dropping the Short Ocean Pointscore so we could concentrate on the major title, and we've done it,' he said this morning at Mooloolaba Yacht Club.


It has been a successful comeback for de Torres, who enjoyed early wins with Nips N Tux in its first season over the summer of 1999-2000, then a quiet period before finishing third overall on IMS in the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

In past years, the Bluewater Pointscore Series has been awarded to such revered yachtsman as Syd Fischer, Roger Hickman and Bob Steel, who was named Bluewater Champion last year and finished runner-up this year in all three pointscores.

Matt Allen’s 52-footer Ichi Ban, which stole the show in the FKP Sydney Mooloolaba Race by finishing second over the line behind Skandia, placed third in the Bluewater and Cape Byron Series while in the Tasman Performance, Brian Emerson’s Frers Wahoo placed third.

The CYCA’s Long Ocean Pointscore Series also concluded with this event and top honours went to Steven Proud’s Sydney 38 Swish in the IRC division while Gunnar Tuisk’s Cadenza finished the PHS winner.