Flinders Island and Port Hacking Races to replace Wollongong Weekend

by Peter Campbell on 12 Feb 2002 Races to Flinders Islet and to Port Hacking will replace the annual Wollongong Weekend as the second last race of the CYCA’s prestigious Bluewater
Pointscore, following the cancellation, due to the cost of insurance, of the local festival organised around the fleet’s arrival in the harbour.


Instead, the Blue Water Pointscore fleet will sail the 90 nautical mile course to Flinders Islet off Wollongong and return, starting from Sydney Harbour this
Friday, February 15, at 8.00pm.


The Ocean Poinstcore division will race to Port Hacking, starting from the Harbour on Saturday, February 16, at 10.00am.



Syd Fischer’s champion Farr Far 50, Ragamuffin, currently holds a narrow lead over Graham Gibson’s Farr 46, Ninety Seven, in the IMS division from which the 2001-2002 IMS Bluewater Champion will be decided.


Fischer, already a six-time Bluewater Champion, is also leading the IRC division of the Blue Water Pointscore, for the Cape Byron Trophy.

Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas’ Hick 35, AFR Midnight Rambler, overall winner of the stormy 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race, has also relegated Ninety Seven to second place in the Tasman Performance Series PHS division, but the difference is just two points.

In the Ocean Pointscore Series, Warwick Sherman’s Farr 39. Occasional Coarse Language, is leading both IMS and IRC divisions while Colin Wilson’s Miss G Fuss Moment is the current PHS leader by just five points.

Also expected on the starting line on Friday evening is Sean Langman’s MBD 66, Grundig, fresh from her line honours win in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Race last month, and George Snow’s Jutson 80-footer Brindabella.

The deciding race for the Bluewater Pointscore series is the Sydney to Mooloolaba Race beginning on Saturday, March 23.

The Sydney to Mooloolaba entry form is now availabe from Sail-World's event mini-site.