Crewman injured in southerly change; final results in Sydney to Gold Coast Race

by Lisa Ratcliff on 2 Aug 2001 Crewman injured in southerly change; final results in Sydney to Gold Coast Race

A strong southerly change moved up the far New South Wales coast last night catching at least one Sydney to Gold Coast Race entry by surprise.

Crewman Steve Sweeney was struck by the traveller on Stephen Collibee's Miss G Fuss Moment when the southerly hit at 50 knots and the boat Chinese gybed. He was dropped at Byron Bay at 0445 hours this morning and was transferred to Lismore Base Hospital with a broken tibia, amnesia and concussion.

Thirty-five yachts have now crossed the finish line in the 16th annual Sydney to Gold Coast with the remaining four due this afternoon and the last yacht, Brian Emerson's Wahoo due at daybreak tomorrow. The southerly is expected to ease today to 20 knots.

Race Control had its busiest night so far since the first yacht arrived Tuesday afternoon, with 23 finishers between 5.00pm yesterday evening and 4.30am this morning.

Final results have been calculated with little change from yesterday apart from Bruce Staples' Dark & Stormy slipping into first position in IRC Division B and SAP Ausmaid (Kevan Pearce) pushing the Beneteau 40.7 Shipping Central (Ashley Reed & Michael Spies) out of third and into fourth position, once the IMS post-constructed results were calculated.

The prize giving for this year's Sydney to Gold Coast Race will be held at the Southport Yacht Club at midday today.

Final Results

Line Honours - elapsed time of 1 day 3 hours 50 minutes 21 seconds:
Grundig Xena - Sean Langman, CYCA

PHS Division 1
1st Coyote - Peter Hansen, Sandringham YC
2nd Bullistic - Gary Anderson, Sandringham YC
3rd Antaeus - Charles St. Clair Brown, RNZYS

PHS Division 2
1st Farr Horizons - Ivan Resnekov, SASC
2nd Bright Morning Star - Randal Wilson, SASC
3rd Anteater - Phil Hearse, CYCA

IRC Division A
1st Grundig Xena - Sean Langman, CYCA
2nd Heaven Can Wait - Warren Johns, MHYC
3rd Infinity III - Martin James, CYCA

IRC Division B
1st Dark & Stormy - Bruce Staples, RPAYC
2nd Sextant - Tony Lawton, CYCA
3rd Antipodes - Greg Newton, RSYS

IMS Overall
1st Brindabella - George Snow, CYCA
2nd Sting - Terry Mullens, CYCA
3rd SAP Ausmaid - Kevan Pearce, CYCA

For further information, please contact Lisa Ratcliff on 0418 428 511.