Wild Joe leads but Cougar and Kato are nipping

by Di Pearson on 13 Aug 2005 Following the third race of the Hog’s Breath IRC Racing series, Wild Joe, line honours victor of all three races, also leads the series on handicap from two Melbourne entries, Alan Whiteley’s Beneteau 44.7 Cougar and Bruce Eddington’s well sailed Mumm 30, Kato.

The IRC fleet sailed on two windward leeward courses today and the rain of yesterday was replaced by sun. Race 2 was sailed in gusty winds up to around 28 knots, as weatherman Kenn Batt predicted, but by Race 3, which got away just after 12.40pm, winds were very light and patchy throughout, fading to almost nothing as Steven David’s Wild Joe (NSW) led the fleet around the windward mark for the first time, having to tack to lay the second gate, with Melbournite Michael Hiatt giving chase close behind on his new Cookson 50, Living Doll. Hiatt was followed by the little Mumm Kato, looking cheeky taking on the big boats.

It was apparent that the right side of the course was favoured as Loki trailed the first three boats; her crew leaving their woes of Race 2 behind them, then came Christian Jackson’s Prowler (VIC), Dick Cawse’s Vanguard and Adelaide’s Hardys Secret Mens Business (Geoff Boettcher).

Although Robert Hanna’s DK46, Shogun, led her sistership Dekadence (Phil Coombs) round the mark the first time, as the race wore on numerous positions changed, including those of the DKs, with Coombs fighting back to pip Hanna over the line by 33 seconds.

Loki chased Wild Joe as the breeze freshened again, getting within four or five boat lengths at one stage, with Boettcher’s boat not far behind. However, in the building breeze and under spinnaker, Wild Joe got away from Loki to beat her over the line by nearly three minutes.

Living Doll seemed to be struggling, or suffering problems, sailing wide of the course down the second and third runs, losing touch with the big boats to finish 10th on handicap.

However, it was Eddington’s supremely sailed Kato that took race three on handicap for third place overall, with Cougar placing second for second overall, whilst Wild Joe finished fourth to consolidate a four point lead over Cougar and six over Kato.

Racing in the IRC fleet continues tomorrow with a Passage race, due to start at 10.25am

Provisional overall results after three races:

1. WILD JOE (Steven David) 4 1 4, 9

2. COUGAR (Alan Whiteley) 8 3 2, 13

3. KATO (Bruce Eddington) 5 9 1, 15

4. DEKADENCE (Philip Coombs) 7 5 5, 17

5. VANGUARD (Dick Cawse) 2 2 18, 22

6. HARDYS SECRET MENS B (Geoff Boettcher) 10 6 7, 23

7. SHOGUN (Robert Hanna) 9 10 6, 25

8. LOKI (Stephen Ainsworth) 1 23F 3, 27

9. TICKET OF LEAVE (Shane Gaddes) 13 4 10, 27

10. LIVING DOLL (Michael Hiatt) 3 12P 14, 29

11. PROWLER (Christian Jackson) 6 16 11, 33

12. EUN NA MARA (Nick Chapman) 12 8 17, 37

13. WILD ROSE (Roger Hickman) 15 7 16, 38

14. AMITY (Ian Griffiths) 13.50G 15 12, 40.50

15. LONDON CALLING (Stuart Bancroft) 16 19 8, 43

16. CAVALIER EXPRESS (Jeff Mitchell) 17 17 9, 43

17. MDBS KOOMOOLOO (Mike Freebairn) 11 13 23F, 47

18. MARLOO (George Girdis) 18 14 19, 51

19. NLC INTRUSION (Luke Reinehr) 19 11 23F, 53

20. CORUM (Michael Balkin) 21 21 13, 55

21. SYNERGY (Alex Douglas) 14 18 23S, 55

22. IMMIGRANT (Jeffrey Paul) 20 20 15 55