Etchells too fast in Varuna Trophy

by Peter Campbell on 12 Apr 2008 Jervis Tilly and his Etchells Bushfire today climaxed a remarkably successful summer sailing season with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron when he won the prestigious Varuna Trophy on the Harbour.

The Varuna Trophy is a handicap race between the winners of the Main Series and Short Inshore Series pointscore in each division and class over the past season.

The Varuna Trophy with the RSYS and the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club’s similar Kelly Cup Club Championship today marked the end of the summer sailing season.

In light winds Bushfire outsailed the opposition to take line honours and first place on corrected time by two minutes from Division 4 Main Series winner Esquisse 2, Richard Staines’ Hood 23.

Division 3 Short Inshore Series winner Half Hour, skippered by Paul Hendrey, took third place.

Bushfire led the fleet around the course, crossing the finish line nearly six and a half minutes ahead of Double Trouble (Steve Wyatt), with Half Hour third to finish. Esquisse 2, the smallest boat in the fleet, sailed exceptionally well to finish sixth in the fleet.

Over the 2007-2008 summer season, Bushfire has won the Etchells Main, Spring and Summer Series pointscores, along with the Etchells Club Championship, the Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club Series, the Mini Regatta pointscore and was the top qualifier in the Sydney Fleet for the 2008 World Championships.

The Varuna Trophy was presented to the RSYS by the crew of the classic yacht Varuna in honour of their skipper Dr John Musgrove, who has sailed the yacht on Sydney Harbour since 1946.

Varuna, built more than 70 years ago and her skipper, now in his eighties, have raced this past season in the Classic Division of the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club.

Varuna today contested the Amateurs Club Championship, placing a creditable 12th on handicap in fleet of 22 starters, which saw the three boats from the Super 30 division take the top placings.

Buck, Shaun Trumbull’s Lyons 30 won the Kelly Cup for first place on corrected time, Zippier (Andrew Waugh) took out the Tara-Ipo Cup for second place and Merlin (John Lehmann) collected the Brooker Trophy for third overall.