Wild Joe leads fleet in alt Pittwater Coffs race

by Al Constable/Rob Kothe on 2 Jan 2008 The alternate race to the Pittwater Coffs Harbour race, the Pittwater to Pittwater race started at 12.00 noon today in Broken Bay, between Lion Island and the Barrenjoey Headland.

The fleet is heading north to Boondelbah Island, then turns south to sail to the port mark inside the entrance of Botany Bay. The fleet then heads north again to the finish line back inside the entrance of Pittwater. The course is approximately 210nm and is 16 nautical miles shorter than the Pittwater to Coffs race.

Wild Oats X elected not to sail the race as the families of the crew were already in Coffs Harbour enjoying their annual holidays. Having already sailed in the Sydney to Hobart race, the crew decided to fly to Coffs Harbour to join them.

Stomp too elected not to sail the new course, as did Crossing, Isabella, Gaia and MRZ.

Out at the Pittwater start line the competitors were greeted by flat seas with a big swell. The sun was blazing but unfortunately there was little wind. As usual the boats put up their stormsails and paraded past the committee vessel.

Principal Race Officer Ted Anderson sent the fleet away from the maxi cruising yacht 'Cambria II', owned by John David. Darren Digney, Commodore of Coffs Harbour Yacht Club was the guest starter.

The Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race record holder, Steven David's Wild Joe was lurking behind at the leeward end of the line. Peter Harburg's Spirit of Queensland was over the line early and had to go back, she was relegated to the back row at the gun.

The starting gun was fired and Wild Joe was on the pin and on the pace, she led the fleet away in five to six knots of breeze.

Grant Halliday's Sydney 38 'The Business' was over early and returned as the breeze freshened to about 10 knots.

Wild Joe romped away from the fleet. Spirit of Queensland came up onto Wild Joe's line and was second boat overall, but was 200 metres behind Wild Joe. Bill Ebsary's Le Billet, the Beneteau 44.7, come through well to be third as the fleet, on starboard tack, headed for Cape Three Points.

Bernie Van't Hof's Tulip, the former Ginger, sailed up to Le Billet but by this time Wild Joe was about one nautical mile ahead of the majority of the yachts.

Spirit of Queensland was winding up, hard on the breeze as they headed north. In a steady 10 knots of breeze, the fleet was trailing back to Barrenjoey Light.

Tulip fell back and was sailing below Le Billet which held the handicap lead at this early stage; Murray Owen's Mahlingai, the Sydney 46, sailed into third place behind Wild Joe and Spirit.

The boats were sailing into a big swell but it had a long period and all competitors appeared comfortable.

Behind the leaders was a group of Farr 40's; Matthew Short's Short Shipped, Ivan Resnekov's Impi and Jeff Carter's Revolution Edake.

Well placed was LMR Frantic (Michael Martin) from Lake Macquarie, behind her Sea Hawk (Pete Van Ryn), then three Mumm 30's all in a row; Kick Back (Steven Hobbs), Cleopatra (Robert Davis), Immigrant PC6 (Jeff Paul), all doing nicely. Russell Bonner's Leisel was flying a protest flag.

Trailing the fleet was the Beneteau 40.7 First Fish, a late starter to the line.

Unlike a normal Pittwater to Coffs race which tends to be a run, this race because they are heading on a beat up to Boondelbah Island (Port Stephens) then turning and running down to Botany Bay, will have more varied sailing conditions with a nor-easter expected to build during the afternoon.

As the yachts vanished from sight headed for Port Stephens, Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race stalwart Ken Moxham commented wryly 'that this year's 27th Pittwater to Coffs polo shirts would be an obvious collectors piece and that people should buy two - one for the display board and one to wear.'