Cydon beats defending champion for Sydney 38 title

by Di Pearson on 19 Aug 2004 Expatriate Englishman Leon Christianakis sailing Cydon (NSW), has relieved veteran sailing master Lou Abrahams of his Sydney 38 title, running away with the Sydney 38 Pan Pacific Championships at Hog’s Breath Race Week in Airlie Beach which finished today.

Christianakis and his crew of his wife Fiona, Alby Pratt, Peter Sheldrick and a number of the Wilmot family; Jamie, Bobby, Suzy and Jeremy Wilmot won eight out of the ten race series, using their worst result, a fourth, as their race drop to finish their regatta with 11 points from Lou Abrahams’ Another Challenge (VIC), who finished his week with 22 points.

His scoreboard included a win in Race 6 and four second places – typical of the top yachtsman. Unfortunately this was not to be his regatta, overpowered by some of the top names in the game on Cydon.

Third overall for the event was Wayne Kirkpatrick’s Asylum (QLD), Kirkpatrick was sitting nicely in second place overall until yesterday’s triangle course which caused confusion for a few boats in the various divisions, culminating in Asylum and others to sail a longer course. The Hamilton Island CEO finished sixth in that race, which he subsequently used as his drop.

His final day did not improve, with fourth and fifth placings, after the earlier part of his series had gone well. Kirkpatrick won Race 4 and counted three second’s and two third’s in his result. However, he had chances in two other races, but chose not to cover his rivals and paid the penalty.

For Christianakis though, who sailed a Farr 40 in England and prior to that, a Mumm in Hong Kong, the win was exciting. ‘We sailed really well. I have a great crew, they let me drive and told me what to do. I had very little to do with it. They really do make it easy for me, the crew came together well at this regatta.

‘Although the final result looks like we had an easy time of it, the racing was actually quite difficult. You could not take your eye of things for even a second and a lot of the racing was very, very close.’

A CYCA in Sydney sailor, Christianakis will next take his boat to Hamilton Island for Hahn Premium Race Week, where, he says, ‘things will be a lot more relaxed. We’ll have four of my regular crew off and four new ones on – including my father-in-law. That’s what’s so great about this boat, you can one-design race seriously, you can cruise or race less seriously – I love it.’

He also loves Australia and married an Aussie girl, Fiona. ‘I love Australia and when I arrived, looked for a boat that would give me decent one design racing, but it had to be well priced and go well under handicap. I am delighted with my boat and my crew,’ he said.

For Sandringham Yacht Club’s Lou Abrahams, second place had to be enough. He commented, ‘the competition here has been extraordinary,’ Lou said. ‘It’s been a lot tougher this time around, everyone has gone up a notch or two. We did our best, we have sailed well here, it’s just a couple of other guys are sailing better. What can you do?’

Estate Master owners, Lisa and Martin Hill from Sydney (MHYC), also sailed an excellent series to finish fourth. The pair showed moments of brilliance and improved throughout the series.

They bear watching at future events. Hill said this afternoon, ‘we had a great regatta, the camaraderie in this class is fabulous. Alby Pratt, Jamie Wilmot and others really have helped us at this regatta. That makes a big difference.

It is a very friendly class and the boat is good too – there’s quite a few women sailing at this regatta – that’s something you don’t see a lot of in other grand prix classes. The competition here was great too – the only one missing from the top sailors was Cameron Miles, but everyone else was here.

Final Results:

1. Cydon - Lisa & Martin Hill 11

2. Another Challenge - Lou Abrahams 22

3. Asylum – Wayne Kirkpatrick 26

4. Estate Master – Lisa & Martin Hill 31

5. Alex – Jock Macadie 41

6. Calibre – Geoff Bonus 46

7. Easy Tiger – Keith Thompson 63