The Perfect Ten for Spirit of Downunder

by Troy Humphreys/Sail-World on 16 Mar 2007

Spirit of Downunder Andrea Francolini Photography http://www.afrancolini.com/

Having been launched and first raced in the 1997 Queenscliff to King Island ocean race, Laurie Ford's Spirit of Downunder has found the perfect way to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

In the 2007 race the Spirit has staged a thrilling head to head race with Jeff Otter and Gary Caufield's Mummery 45 Icefire to eventually takeout line honours in a blistering 11 hours and 6 minutes for the 120 mile race, just over three minutes ahead of Icefire with Richard McGarvie and Peter Davidson's Addiction third a further hour behind.

On IRC handicap Icefire won from Mike Welsh's Alien with John Williams / Graeme Ainley's Bacardi in third place.

On Performance handicap Spirit of Downunder won from Icefire with Michael Dolphin's Prion third.

On AMS handicap Shane LaPeyre / Albert Doggett's Vapour Trail won from Mike Welsh's Alien with Andrew Munro's Godzilla third.

In the first offshore race since the Melbourne/Sydney to Hobart races, the two leaders staged a thrilling dash across Bass Strait after clearing away from the remainder for the 19 boat fleet after three hours of racing. At the time of the first sched, both boats reported the identical position however Icefire was slightly ahead on the water.

The majority of the fleet in Grassy Harbour © Troy Humphrey

The pivotal moment in the race occurred at 7am, after Icefire had hoisted s spinnaker and stretched her legs to open up approximately a two mile lead on the Spirit, the all hands call was made and the Spirit went for her fractional spinnaker. Even after the halyard let go, the kite was quickly recovered and rehoisted with minimal time lost.

Spirit opened up a lead of a couple of miles before Icefire switched to their masthead spinnaker however they were unable to regain the distance lost.

An indication of just how hard the boats were pushing each other was the display Spirit put on for the small but enthusiastic crowd of locals by surfing a wave over the finish line to cross the line travelling at 16.5 knots.

Spirit's line honours and class win is on top of an outstanding six months by the Spirit after having won their division in the Queenscliff to Hastings race, taken out the line honours, handicap and race record in the Port Phillip Sea Pilots race, victory in the Livingston Cup together with two further line honours victories in Sun Theatre Passage races and two handicap victories to be currently leading the series with one race remaining.

The boats will next compete in the Queenscliff to Port Fairy race over Easter.

Ocean Racing Club of Victoria Results - Melbourne - Grassy Race 2007

OCEAN RACING CLUB OF VICTORIA Inc.

AMS

Melbourne to Grassy 2007

10-Mar-07

00:30:00

Boat

Sail

Skipper's

H'Cap

Finish

Elapsed

Handicap

Name

Number

Name

Date

Time

AMS

hh:mm:ss

Vapour Trail

Sm748

Shane LaPeyre / Albert Doggett

0.811

10-Mar-07

14:55:38

14:25:38

11:42:02

Alien

Sm880

Mike Welsh

0.894

10-Mar-07

13:37:52

13:07:52

11:44:21

Godzilla

R111

Andrew Munro

0.893

10-Mar-07

13:50:42

13:20:42

11:55:02

Rumbeat

Sm3598

Geoff Henderson

0.842

10-Mar-07

14:43:57

14:13:57

11:59:02

Addiction

S16

Richard McGarvie / Peter Davison

0.957

10-Mar-07

13:05:04

12:35:04

12:02:36

A Crewed Interest

Sm8008

Eddie Ragauskas / Martin Vaughan

0.863

10-Mar-07

14:39:20

14:09:20

12:12:58

Hush

Sm5508

Marissa McManus / Peter Chalkley

0.859

10-Mar-07

15:01:55

14:31:55

12:28:59

Good News

Sm228

Ron Walker

0.862

10-Mar-07

15:10:21

14:40:21

12:38:52

Tilting at Windmills

Sm117

Thorry Gunnersen

0.899

10-Mar-07

14:34:10

14:04:10

12:38:54

Hasta La Vista

David Phillips

0.989

10-Mar-07

13:25:59

12:55:59

12:47:27

Rough Red

B880

Kevin Robinson

0.839

10-Mar-07

DNC

OCEAN RACING CLUB OF VICTORIA Inc.

IRC

Melbourne to Grassy 2007 10-Mar-07 00:30:00

Boat

Sail

Skipper's

H'Cap

Finish

Elapsed

Handicap

Name

Number

Name

Date

Time

IRC

hh:mm:ss

Icefire

R6572

Jeff Otter / Gary Caulfield

1.199

10-Mar-07

11:39:50

11:09:50

13:23:08

Alien

Sm880

Mike Welsh

1.037

10-Mar-07

13:37:52

13:07:52

13:37:01

Bacardi

Sm377

John Williams / Graeme Ainley

1.041

10-Mar-07

13:38:29

13:08:29

13:40:49

Vapour Trail

Sm748

Shane LaPeyre / Albert Doggett

0.954

10-Mar-07

14:55:38

14:25:38

13:45:49

Prion

R63

Michael Dolphin

1.072

10-Mar-07

13:25:30

12:55:30

13:51:20

Godzilla

R111

Andrew Munro

1.046

10-Mar-07

13:50:42

13:20:42

13:57:32

A Crewed Interest

Sm8008

Eddie Ragauskas / Martin Vaughan

1.002

10-Mar-07

14:39:20

14:09:20

14:11:02

Hasta La Vista

David Phillips

1.112

10-Mar-07

13:25:59

12:55:59

14:22:54

Elektra

R2099

Don Fraser / Bruce McKechnie

1.123

10-Mar-07

13:40:45

13:10:45

14:48:01

Tilting at Windmills

Sm117

Thorry Gunnersen

1.055

10-Mar-07

14:34:10

14:04:10

14:50:36

Rough Red

B880

Kevin Robinson

0.984

10-Mar-07

DNC

OCEAN RACING CLUB OF VICTORIA Inc.

PHD

Melbourne to Grassy 2007 10-Mar-07 00:30:00

Boat

Sail

Skipper's

H'Cap

Finish

Elapsed

Handicap

Name

Number

Name

Date

Time

PHD

hh:mm:ss

Spirit of Downunder

R1200

Laurie Ford

0.940

10-Mar-07

11:36:30

11:06:30

10:26:31

Icefire

R6572

Jeff Otter / Gary Caulfield

0.990

10-Mar-07

11:39:50

11:09:50

11:03:08

Prion

R63

Michael Dolphin

0.860

10-Mar-07

13:25:30

12:55:30

11:06:56

Addiction

S16

Richard McGarvie / Peter Davison

0.915

10-Mar-07

13:05:04

12:35:04

11:30:53

Rumbeat

Sm3598

Geoff Henderson

0.810

10-Mar-07

14:43:57

14:13:57

11:31:42

Godzilla

R111

Andrew Munro

0.880

10-Mar-07

13:50:42

13:20:42

11:44:37

A Crewed Interest

Sm8008

Eddie Ragauskas / Martin Vaughan

0.830

10-Mar-07

14:39:20

14:09:20

11:44:57

Alien

Sm880

Mike Welsh

0.895

10-Mar-07

13:37:52

13:07:52

11:45:08

Vapour Trail

Sm748

Shane LaPeyre / Albert Doggett

0.820

10-Mar-07

14:55:38

14:25:38

11:49:49

Hush

Sm5508

Marissa McManus / Peter Chalkley

0.815

10-Mar-07

15:01:55

14:31:55

11:50:37

Gigi

G4747

Alex Drysdale

0.845

10-Mar-07

14:35:38

14:05:38

11:54:34

Good News

Sm228

Ron Walker

0.820

10-Mar-07

15:10:21

14:40:21

12:01:53

Hasta La Vista

David Phillips

0.935

10-Mar-07

13:25:59

12:55:59

12:05:33

Tilting at Windmills

Sm117

Thorry Gunnersen

0.865

10-Mar-07

14:34:10

14:04:10

12:10:12

Magic

Sm616

Robert Eason

0.760

10-Mar-07

16:32:38

16:02:38

12:11:36

Midnight Express

b274

Shane Freeman / Adrian Macquarrie

0.750

10-Mar-07

16:46:31

16:16:31

12:12:23

Bacardi

Sm377

John Williams / Graeme Ainley

0.930

10-Mar-07

13:38:29

13:08:29

12:13:17

Elektra

R2099

Don Fraser / Bruce McKechnie

0.935

10-Mar-07

13:40:45

13:10:45

12:19:21

Rough Red

B880

Kevin Robinson

0.785

10-Mar-07

DNC

Results Grassy 2007 v2.xls 10/03/2007

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The Perfect Ten for Spirit of Downunder

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