HEAVEN CAN WAIT IS ALL CLASS

by Ian Grant on 4 Jan 2001 The Warren Johns owned Jamie Wilmot helmed Heaven Can Wait proved to be an upwind 'Rocket ship' in the energy absorbing Strathfield Pittwater to Coffs Harbour ocean race.

This annual coastal classic hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and generously sponsored by Strathfield Car Radios proved to be a marathon up wind race over 226 soul-searching nautical miles.

Head wind sea breezes, which blew over the coast to a peak of 27 knots, sorted the players from the stayers in what proved to be a bash against wind and current for over 35 hours.

Line honours winner Xena well recognized for her exceptional pace sailing on the free sheet angles toughed it out to finish more than 3 hours ahead of Heaven Can Wait but in terms of rated handicap speed Heaven was the star performer.

Both Johns and his principal helmsman Wilmot expressed their experience of several races over the same course, which contributed to being declared a runaway winner on the provisional handicaps declared at Coffs Harbour this afternoon.

As expected the big boats dominated the major places with Heaven Can Wait taking the Strathfield IRC class title with a comfortable 1 hour 53 minute 40 second margin over the Martin James skippered maxi Infinity 111 and the consistent Farr 40 One Design skippered by Simon Whiston .

Provisional top 10 results are: Heaven Can Wait 45-57-14 1, Infinity 111 47-50-54 2, Smile 48-12-23 3, Fruit Machine 48-25-50 4, Buon Giorno 48-39-52 5, Brave Heart 48-51-54 6, Leroy Brown 48-59-32 7, Xena 49-34-05 8, About Time 50-07-37 9, Obsession 50-11-38 10.