Sailing South entries excel in King of the Derwent

by Peter Campbell on 3 Jan 2008 Tasmanian yacht Pisces and the West Australian owned Limit were the top performers on handicap in yesterday’s Wrest Point King of the Derwent, in an impressive preview for the Sailing Sailing Regatta.

The Huon Aquaculture Sailing Sailing South Regatta starts this afternoon with yachts from Sydney and Melbourne joining local yachts in this eighth annual event that follows the long ocean races from Sydney and Melbourne. Two short harbour races are planned, starting from 1500 hours.

Yesterday, Pisces, a Sydney 36 skippered by David Taylor from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, won PHS Division 2 and won the King of the Derwent overall, while Limit, helmed by expat Tasmanian Roger Hickman from the Cruising Yacht Club of Tasmania took out the IRC division on corrected time.

Line honours in this 29th annual King of the Derwent went to Ichi Ban, the Jones 70 skippered by Matt Allen, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

She spreadeagled the fleet in the 20 knot south-easterly seabreeze, dashing around the Derwent River course in one hour and 18 seconds with a brilliant display of power sailing.

Allen had had a new rudder flown in yesterday from Sydney to replace one lost in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. It was fitted immediately and the mainsheet traveler rebuilt to enable Ichi Ban to compete today and this morning Allen and his crew spent an hour or more practicing on the river before the King of the Derwent.

Ichi Ban almost held her time on the fleet, losing first place to Limit by a mere 13 seconds.

A fleet of 52 boats, including competitors from the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart and the Clive Peeters Launceston to Hobart ocean races, took part in the King of the Derwent.

Conditions were perfect for the racing on the river between Sandy Bay and Bellerive, with the seabreeze kicking in at 20 knots, although easing later in the afternoon.

The Sailing South Regatta starts this afternoon at 1500 hours, with two mid-river races for the IRC, PHS Division 1 and the Farr 40 One Design class and Castray Esplanade starts for other divisions.

Entries for the IRC division racing for the Charles Davies Memorial Trophy include last year’s winner Limit (ex Flirt), now owned by WA yachtsman Alan Brierty but skippered again by expat Tasmanian Roger Hickman.

Other visiting boats competing include the Victorian yacht Georgia, a Farr 53 owned by prominent Melbourne yachtsman John Williams and former Yachting Australia president Graeme Ainley, Endorfin, skippered David Kellet, a vice-president of the International Yachting Federation, from Sydney, while David Taylor’s Pisces will head the local yachts in Sailing South.

In addition to the IRC, PHS Division 1 and 2, the regatta will provide the first fleet racing for the expanding Farr 40 One Design class in Hobart, with five boats competing.

Racing in Sailing South continues through Friday and Saturday.