Fairy tale finish for Blue Water Champions

by Lisa Ratcliff on 26 Mar 2007 After 18 years of trying to win the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s prestigious Blue Water Pointscore Series, it’s been a 'fairy tale ending' for co-skippers Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas who received worldwide attention when they won the storm battered 1998 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on overall handicap in their tiny Hick 35.

The Audi Sydney Southport 2007 was the final race of the seven race series, which began in July last year. AFR Midnight Rambler’s divisional win, confirmed this afternoon, cemented their deserved and long awaited Blue Water Pointscore win.

'Going into this final race we weren’t looking good after a poor result in the Rolex Sydney Hobart so under those circumstances it’s a particularly good feeling,' admitted Psaltis this afternoon.

'The crew is regular, five of us sailed together on the Hick 35 in the 1998 Sydney Hobart. When you have good crew, in the conditions we experienced in that Hobart and in this race, they really come to the fore,' said Thomas this afternoon.

The crew acknowledged today that Thomas’ navigational skills were instrumental in their success in the Audi Sydney Southport race, which is now in its final stages. Thomas kept them out of the current and put them right in close to shore at the four hot points - Seal Rocks, Crowdy Head, Smokey Cape and Cape Byron.

'The sea was horrible, it was a bloody hard race,' admitted Psaltis, who has seen the worst the wind and waves can churn up.

'Running downwind in this boat is hard work, we get tossed around a lot because we are relatively light.' Their list of repairs for the boat includes two spinnakers and a torn main which 'just hung in there' for the finish said Psaltis.

Late this morning the crew of the modified Farr 40 were still ‘debriefing’ following their 2.35am finish and they joked that rather than celebrating in the traditional style this afternoon, they thought a trip to church to 'thank the Lord' might be in order.

The boat’s name is taken from an old Rolling Stones blues song title Midnight Rambler which was written in the late 1960s. It’s relevance to the crew of this boat is due to the fact they believe they push harder at night when others back off.

AFR Midnight Rambler finished with 14 points, two ahead of Chris Bull’s UK yacht Jazz. Third place went to Howard de Torres’ Nips n Tux on 20 points.

Bull was gracious in defeat today. 'Ed is a committed competitor and a great sailor and they gave us a very enjoyable battle. He is a very deserving winner'.

In the Tasman Performance Series (PHS), Rob Reynolds’ Pla Loma IV amazingly finished on equal points, 23, with both the second placed boat, Nips ‘n Tux, and the third placed Horwath BRI (Tony Levett). Pla Loma IV has been declared the winner on a countback.

In the Audi Sydney Southport 2007, five boats are still yet to finish.