Savills SORC regatta draws top ocean racing yachts

by Peter Campbell on 23 Nov 2007 Three of the leading contenders for IRC overall handicap honours in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Yendys, Wot Yot and Limit, will line up this weekend in the 30th annual Savills Short Ocean Racing Championship.

They are among eight grand prix ocean racing yachts in IRC Division 1 of the regatta, racing up to six windward/leeward races on Saturday and Sunday in a testing tune-up for their helmsmen, tactician/navigators and crews.

In total, the always-popular regatta has drawn an outstanding fleet of 86 boats, including many preparing for the long ocean races to Hobart and Coffs Harbour and others racing in the popular one-design Farr 40, Sydney 38 and Sydney 32 classes.

Yendys, Geoff Ross’ state-of-the-art Reichel Pugh 55 will be racing for the first time since scoring an impressive victory in the IRC Racing division at the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in August.

'We will be racing under the same configuration as we did at Hamilton Island and with most of the crew who will be going to Hobart with us,' Ross said yesterday as the crew assembled at the CYCA, including navigator Will Oxley from Queensland and David Blanchfield, who flew in from the USA.

'Michael Coxon will also be sailing with us in the Savills regatta and Sean Kirkjian will be helming.

'There is some good competition in this regatta, including the two TP52s; we will step up a notch for the Rolex Regatta and be ready for Hobart,' added Ross, who won the Rolex Trophy and placed second in division in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Ross forecast close racing between the 50-footers. 'Under the IRC rule there is not much between these boats in performance and rating; it comes down to how well you sail your boat.'

Graeme Wood’s Wot Yot is one of the two TP52s in the Savills SORC, the other being Bob Steel’s Quest, which is not entered for the Sydney Hobart.

Wot Yot has had excellent offshore racing season so far, with a win, a second and two thirds to head the Blue Water Pointscore going into the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Limit is the Corby 49 previous known as Flirt and winner of the 2007 Sailing South Regatta followed by a second at Skandia Geelong Week. West Australian Alan Brierty now owns her, but Roger Hickman has continued as sailing master and the boat won the recent Cabbage Tree Island Race, beating the TP52s Wot Yot and Ragamuffin on corrected time.

Other entries in IRC Division 1 include Stephen David’s Reichel Pugh 60 Wild Joe, Leslie Green Frers 60 Ginger, Rob Reynolds’ DK43 Pla Loma IV and Sydney Hobart entrants Splash Gordon, Stephen Ellis’ modified Farr 40 One Design, and Wot’s Next, the Sydney 47 owned by Graeme Wood and skippered by Bill Sykes.

IRC Division 2 includes Rolex Sydney Hobart entrants Papillon, Phil Molony’s Archambault 40, and Quetzalcoatl, Antony Sweetapple’s Jones 41, along with Bill Ebsary’s Beneteau 44.7 Le Billet, heading north again to Coffs Harbour, and MHYC members Chris Rabbidge and Ian Uther’s modified Mumm 36 FKP Mean Machine.

The crew of Cuckoos Nest, headed by skipper Jennifer Rezek, will be sailing the Sydney 36 CR in memory of late owner Nigel Holman, who died recently.

Other Sydney Hobart entrants are competing in the IRC/PHS Racer/Cruiser division of the Savills SORC, including Paul Clitheroe’s Sydney 47CR Balance, Andrew Short’s Jutson 79 Andrew Short Marine Brindabella and David Pescud’s Lyons 54 Sailors with disabilities.

Middle Harbour Yacht Club is planning six races over the two days for the IRC Racing, Farr 40, Sydney 38 and Sydney 32 divisions and one race each day for the IRC/PHS Racer Cruiser division, starting from 11am on Saturday and Sunday.

The prizegiving will be held on Sunday evening at Middle Harbour Yacht Club.


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