Cougar puts teeth into Range series

by Media Services on 18 Apr 2006 A strong wind warning didn’t deter the large fleet from contesting the final of the seven race Yachting Victoria Range Series.

Premier class IRC Division 1 Beneteau 44.7 Cougar, skippered by Alan Whiteley from Sandringham Yacht Club, held a three point advantage going into the final race and could only be challenged by Flirt whose skipper, Chris Dare was so keen, he imported extra heavyweight experience from Sydney just for this race.

Unusually heavy conditions on the last day of the series April 8th, favoured the larger boats including Flirt, XLR8 and Goldfinger (Ichi Ban). Dekadence too was expected to perform well.

After a recalled start from anxious sailors, the final race settled down to a battle between Goldfinger, XLR8 and Flirt, trailing over the first leg. Surprisingly Cougar remained in touch with the leaders at the first mark and faultless crew work kept them well in contention throughout the next three legs.

The rough conditions caused several withdrawals with broken rigs and torn sails. Despite some strong sailing by the Flirt crew the margin at the finish was just 38 seconds ahead of Cougar on corrected time, and not enough to overcome Cougar’s consistent top placings in nearly all the preceding races.

The Range series is acknowledged as Victoria’s Premier keelboat event and it was a well deserved win for Cougar, taking the overall premier IRC series and establishing themselves as current top performed IRC boat on Port Phillip Bay. Skipper Alan Whiteley was elated with the result having been the bridesmaid both at Geelong Skandia Race week last year and at the Sandringham Club Aggregate series.

It is unfortunate the Cougar crew rarely meets the Sydney based Beneteau 44.7’s. One a few rare occasions at Hamilton Island and most recently in the Sydney Hobart, they managed to show a stern to them.

Overall series VYC division 1 the places were reversed with Flirt awarded the silver with Cougar two points in arrears. AMS also went to Flirt but Cougar was a non entry in that class. Cougar also took first place in division one race for VYC class yachts.

Alan Whitley commented today, ‘'The Range has proved to be a great series and when the last race determines the winner you cant get much better than that!

'Over the last few years the fleets in Melbourne have been getting stronger and stronger and we are sure the racing will be just as tight again next season.’

Series Results [IRC] for Division 1 up to Race 7 (Drops = 1)

Place	Ties	Sail No	Boat Name	Skipper	Sers Score	Race 7	Race 6	Race 5	Race 4	Race 3	Race 2	Race 1
1		SM447	COUGAR	A Whitley	9.0	2.0	[7.0]	ABN	1.0	3.0	1.0	2.0
2		SM4321R	FLIRT	C Dare	11.0	1.0	2.0	ABN	3.0	1.0	4.0	[5.0]
3	2.0S	SM46	DEKADENCE	P Coombs	23.0	8.0	3.0	ABN	8.0	2.0	2.0	[8.0]
4		SM602	VELOCE	P Simpfendor	23.0	4.0	[13.0]	ABN	6.0	4.0	5.0	4.0
5	1.0S	SM460	XLR8	G Troon	32.0	3.0	1.0	ABN	2.0	5.0	[26.0C]	21.0C
6		SM2	CHALLENGE	L Abrahams	32.0	7.0	9.0	ABN	7.0	[28.0C]	6.0	3.0
7		B45	RUSH	J Paterson	48.0	10.0	4.0	ABN	16.0	[28.0C]	11.0	7.0
8		G4646	SHOGUN	R Hanna	53.0	[38.0C]	37.0C	ABN	5.0	7.0	3.0	1.0
9		SM377	BACARDI	W Ainley	58.0	5.0	[29.0F]	ABN	23.0	9.0	7.0	14.0
10		R50	LIVING DOLL	M Hiatt	59.0	[38.0C]	5.0	ABN	11.0	6.0	26.0C	11.0
11		R69	FUZZY LOGIC	B Lennon/P Rober	63.0	9.0	12.0	ABN	20.0	[28.0C]	10.0	12.0
12		SM4407	MUSKETEER	P Jacka	65.0	[38.0C]	16.0	ABN	13.0	10.0	16.0	10.0
13		SM6666	GOMEZ	S Chiodo	66.0	23.0F	8.0	ABN	10.0	16.0	9.0	[26.0L]
14		SM880	ALIEN	Mike Welsh	70.0	12.0	[29.0F]	ABN	19.0	13.0	13.0	13.0
15		R1111	TOECUTTER 2	Robert Hick	77.0	23.0O	10.0	ABN	4.0	[28.0C]	14.0	26.0L
16		SM45	OUTRAGEOUS	R Shaw	81.0	13.0	[29.0F]	ABN	17.0	28.0C	17.0	6.0
17		B26	REVERIE	Alan Woodward	82.0	23.0F	[29.0F]	ABN	14.0	12.0	18.0	15.0
18		SM8880	GOLDFINGER	P. Blake/K. Mitch	101.0	6.0	6.0	ABN	21.0	34.0L	34.0L	[34.0L]
19		SM1100	SMOOTH CRIMINAL	D Cameron	102.0	[38.0C]	14.0	ABN	22.0	28.0C	21.0	17.0
20	12.0S	SM600	FUN AND GAMES	A Edwards	103.0	23.0F	[29.0F]	ABN	24.0	28.0C	12.0	16.0
21		R336	SWORDFISH TROMBONE	T Olding/M Laver	103.0	23.0F	[29.0F]	ABN	27.0	15.0	20.0	18.0
22	14.0S	S16	ADDICTION	P Davison/R McGa	107.0	11.0	[29.0F]	ABN	26.0	14.0	28.0L	28.0L
23		M415	ROUSEABOUT 3	J Rouse	107.0	[38.0C]	17.0	ABN	34.0C	11.0	19.0	26.0L
24		M4	CADIBARRA	Nigel Jones	108.0	[38.0C]	37.0C	ABN	34.0C	8.0	8.0	21.0C
25		H8118	MERLION	E Mackevicius	123.0	[38.0C]	37.0C	ABN	28.0	17.0	15.0	26.0L
26		SM1996	NO FEARR	M Hannaford	134.0	[38.0C]	37.0C	ABN	34.0C	28.0C	26.0C	9.0
27		SM3838	CLOCKWORK ORANGE	S Winder	135.0	[38.0C]	15.0	ABN	18.0	34.0L	34.0L	34.0L
28		H6110	SAMSKARA	S Stoopman	136.0	14.0	29.0F	ABN	25.0	34.0L	34.0L	[34.0L]
29		R34	SANDGROPER	G Bagley	140.0	[38.0C]	29.0F	ABN	9.0	34.0L	34.0L	34.0L
30		SM4100	TERRA FIRMA	N BARTELS	145.0	23.0F	11.0	ABN	37.0L	37.0L	37.0L	[37.0L]
31		SM4007	WASABI	T Lewis	147.0	[38.0C]	29.0F	ABN	34.0C	28.0C	28.0L	28.0L
32	12.0S	R33	CHUTZPAH	B. Taylor	151.0	[38.0C]	37.0C	ABN	12.0	34.0L	34.0L	34.0L
33		SM1400	KNOTROL	P Blake	151.0	[38.0C]	37.0C	ABN	34.0C	28.0C	26.0C	26.0L
34		SM3801	LIVEWIRE	T Hall	154.0	[38.0C]	37.0C	ABN	15.0	34.0L	34.0L	34.0L
35		R111	GODZILLA	MUNRO HENKEL	157.0	23.0F	29.0F	ABN	35.0L	35.0L	35.0L	[35.0L]
36		B63	SCHUSS	D McCONNELL	163.0	15.0	37.0C	ABN	37.0L	37.0L	37.0L	[37.0L]
37		R2099	ELEKTRA	B D FRASER	190.0	38.0C	38.0L	ABN	38.0L	38.0L	38.0L	[38.0L]

Series Results [IRC] for Division 2 up to Race 7 (Drops = 0)

Place	Ties	Sail No	Boat Name	Skipper	Sers Score	Race 7	Race 6	Race 5	Race 4	Race 3	Race 2	Race 1
1		SM6886	YOUNG LION	Michael Manson	12.0	3.0	ABN	ABN	1.0	3.0	4.0	1.0
2		SM9006	SIERRA BULLET	M Mollinson	20.0	7.0	ABN	ABN	3.0	5.0	2.0	3.0
3		S191	SALAMANDER III	C Jones	24.0	12.0	ABN	ABN	5.0	4.0	1.0	2.0
4		SM278	GALATEA	T Thornburn	38.0	5.0	ABN	ABN	6.0	10.0	9.0	8.0
5		B120	UNDER CAPRICORN	Phil Bedlingto /Andy	41.0	15.0	ABN	ABN	10.0	7.0	5.0	4.0
6		SM49	DR UNC	J Lindholm	48.0	10.0	ABN	ABN	8.0	9.0	14.0	7.0
7		SM6142	WATERMARK II	P Gwatt	55.0	6.0	ABN	ABN	11.0	6.0	10.0	22.0C
8		S47	MRS OVERNEWTON	L Norton	58.0	11.0	ABN	ABN	12.0	17.0	8.0	10.0
9		R8338	MIDNIGHT RAMBLER	D Cartan	70.0	14.0	ABN	ABN	13.0	13.0	16.0	14.0
10		SM74	BARNSTORMER	B Barnes	71.0	17.0	ABN	ABN	4.0	12.0	12.0	26.0L
11		R16	EMPARA	P Abrahams	73.0	19.0	ABN	ABN	18.0	16.0	11.0	9.0
12		R22	REMEDY	G Tobin	74.0	9.0	ABN	ABN	17.0	30.0C	7.0	11.0
13		R25	SURPRISE	J Klesdadt	76.0	2.0	ABN	ABN	32.0C	30.0C	6.0	6.0
14	2.0S	SM220	WAVELENGTH	B Kruger	81.0	4.0	ABN	ABN	15.0	2.0	30.0L	30.0L
15		SM5277	L'ATTITUDE	T/D Little	81.0	16.0	ABN	ABN	21.0	18.0	13.0	13.0
16		SM111	ANNA	R Lepore	82.0	8.0	ABN	ABN	7.0	30.0C	20.0	17.0
17		SM3200	MELALUECA	T Phillips	87.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	19.0	8.0	3.0	21.0O
18		R363	TOP GUN	G Rowland/M Pete	94.0	1.0	ABN	ABN	32.0C	1.0	30.0L	30.0L
19		S275	ROLLERCOASTER	K Simpson /G. Bourne	95.0	18.0	ABN	ABN	32.0C	14.0	19.0	12.0
20		M551	SUGOI	T Fisher	101.0	13.0	ABN	ABN	32.0C	15.0	15.0	26.0L
21		S6	BUSHIDO	P Chapman	110.0	20.0	ABN	ABN	22.0	19.0	23.0	26.0L
22		R111	GODZILLA	A Munro	113.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	32.0C	11.0	18.0	16.0
23		SM7314	FORZADO	B Dobbie	118.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	16.0	30.0C	21.0	15.0
24		SM927	SS FEATHERSWORD	C Mellington	126.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	20.0	30.0C	22.0	18.0
25		AUS6151	KATO	B Eddington	128.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	2.0	30.0C	30.0L	30.0L
26		6151	KATO	B Eddington	129.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	32.0C	30.0C	26.0C	5.0
27		SM8640	MATADOR	M Stewart	135.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	9.0	30.0C	30.0L	30.0L
28		B1151	TRIVIAL PURSUIT	R Chisholm	141.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	32.0C	30.0C	17.0	26.0L
29		M445	THE LAW FIRM	J Hall	143.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	32.0C	30.0C	26.0C	19.0
30		R63	PRION	M. Dolphin	146.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	14.0	32.0L	32.0L	32.0L
31		SM5426	OUT OF THE BLUE	G Young	164.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	32.0C	32.0L	32.0L	32.0L
32		SM6031	BALI DANCER	B Marklew	176.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	35.0L	35.0L	35.0L	35.0L
32		SM228	GOOD NEWS	R. Walker	176.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	35.0L	35.0L	35.0L	35.0L
32		SM7681	ISLAND TRADER	JOHN CHATHAM	176.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	35.0L	35.0L	35.0L	35.0L
35		SM748	VAPOUR TRAIL	D La PEYRE	180.0	36.0C	ABN	ABN	36.0L	36.0L	36.0L	36.0L

Series Results [IRC] for Division 3 up to Race 7 (Drops = 1)

Place	Ties	Sail No	Boat Name	Skipper	Sers Score	Race 7	Race 6	Race 5	Race 4	Race 3	Race 2	Race 1
1		SM288	INTRUSION	Luke Reinehr	10.0	4.0	1.0	ABN	1.0	2.0	[8.0]	2.0
2		B143	DOUBLE MALT	WARREN Parker	17.0	3.0	[6.0]	ABN	5.0	5.0	1.0	3.0
3		R298	WESTERN MORNING	J Brenan	20.0	5.0	4.0	ABN	3.0	4.0	4.0	[7.0]
4		B353	MAGAZAN 53	N McGuigan/G Row	21.0	6.0	3.0	ABN	[8.0]	3.0	3.0	6.0
5		B67	HOT SHOT	Graham Noel	24.0	1.0	5.0	ABN	6.0	7.0	[7.0]	5.0
6		R3734	SERIOUS YAHOO II	T Brown	32.0	2.0	18.0C	ABN	[18.0C]	9.0	2.0	1.0
7		S80	JACK TAR	S Cartlidge	33.0	18.0C	[18.0C]	ABN	4.0	1.0	6.0	4.0
8		SM7803	ROLLS ROSS	R Caldwell	38.0	[18.0C]	2.0	ABN	2.0	17.0C	9.0	8.0
9		S800	TAKE ONE	Findlay/Murray N.A.	45.0	7.0	[18.0C]	ABN	9.0	8.0	11.0	10.0
10		SM298	DECISIVE	I Hetherington	49.0	8.0	8.0F	ABN	11.0	10.0	12.0	[17.0L]
11		S28	SILHOUETTE	BMS Syndicate	63.0	18.0C	[18.0C]	ABN	7.0	17.0C	10.0	11.0
12		R1221	MERAK	B Huibers	64.0	18.0C	18.0C	ABN	[18.0C]	6.0	5.0	17.0L
13		B942	SWEET DREAMS	R Hurrell	67.0	18.0C	[18.0C]	ABN	12.0	11.0	14.0	12.0
14		S381	NEW MORNING II	M Buckley	75.0	18.0C	18.0C	ABN	[18.0C]	17.0C	13.0	9.0
15		S213	OLD NICK	C. Thomas/K. Thom	82.0	18.0C	18.0C	ABN	10.0	18.0L	18.0L	[18.0L]
16		B880	ROUGH RED	Kevin Robinson /Warr	84.0	18.0C	18.0C	ABN	[18.0C]	17.0C	17.0C	14.0C
17		S32	CLUB COMEDIE	M & D Eger	87.0	18.0C	18.0C	ABN	[18.0C]	17.0C	17.0C	17.0L