IRC winner official-last boat on way to Southport

by Lisa Ratcliff, CYCA on 3 Aug 2005 The crew on the last boat due to finish the 20th Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, Redline, is relaxed about taking line honours at the other end of the fleet, so relaxed, they have opened a sunset bottle of red from the cellar before dinner last night.

Mark Burton’s Sunfast 36 from Victoria is fully laden with their complete sail wardrobe and enough gear, non perishable food and wine to last them through to Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week at the end of the month.

‘We are around 800 kilos overweight which hasn’t augured so well for us in the light breeze,’ Burton admitted last evening as they were approaching Point Danger and sailing in a 15 knot easterly with an ETA of ‘before midnight.’

‘We have been sailing our own race since the start. This is our first Sydney Gold Coast and we don’t have any local knowledge on board so we are just playing it by ear.

‘We’ve been caught a few times on the beach. Yesterday we spent from dawn until dusk crossing one bay. It’s frustrating but what can you do?’ he asked.

Maurice Cameron’s Phillip’s Foote Witchdoctor, the second last boat to finish, was due across the finish line late last evening.

The entire fleet of 74, which began this annual winter race from Sydney Harbour on Saturday afternoon at 1.00pm, looks set to complete the passage.

IRC results are now official, with Andrew Cochrane’s Pendragon the confirmed IRC overall race winner ahead of Andrew Short's Club Marine (ASM) and David Mason's Prime Time.

Following a protest dismissal at this afternoon's hearing, the top three results of the Sydney 38 division have also been confirmed with Contentious Issue (Alan Brierty) officially winning the division ahead of Geoff Bonus’ Calibre and Bruce Taylor’s Chutzpah. Brierty, the lone West Australian entry and a former regular Sydney-Hobart competitor, has not raced on the east coast for some years, so is to be congratulated on his efforts.

Another protest involving the provisional PHS winner Cadenza, skippered by Gunnar Tuisk, is still being heard.

*Amended by Sail-World