Aftershock romps home in first race of Strathfield series

by Georgie Browne on 29 Dec 2001 Colin O'Neil's Davidson 60 Aftershock romped home to take line honours in her division in Race 1 of the
Strathfield Pittwater & Coffs Harbour Offshore Series.

While nipped at the start by the Sydney 38, London
Tavern, Aftershock never looked beaten in the 12-15knot East North easterly breezes. His two rivals for line
honours in IRC division, Heaven Can Wait (Warren Johns) and Infinity III (Martin James) were five and 9 mins
behind respectively. Asylum, the Sydney 38 owned by Wayne Kirkpatrick, Commodore of the Hamilton Island
Yacht Club was a close fourth.

While admitting to be a relative newcomer to ocean racing, O'Neil had a well rehearsed team on board. Several
boats, including Infinity III and Sledgehammer came to grief with spinnaker hassles, however impeccable timing
on Aftershock had a spinnaker up in less than a boat length at the first weather mark.

John Woodruff's The Dreamtime took line honours in PHS Division. The licensee and producer of Savage
Garden was five minutes in front of last year's Divisional winner Abracadabra.(Gavin Ward)

In IMS Division Bill Ebsary's Le Billet took line honours over fellow Beneteau 40.7 rivals, True North (Howard
Piggott) and Koolewong ( Paul Turner).


Provisional handicap results are:

IRC Overall: Rush, Heaven Can Wait, London Tavern

PHS: Turkey Shoot, The Dreamtime, She's Apples Too

IMS: TBA



More information: www.rpayc.com.au click the Strathfield Pittwater/Coffs icon