Canute and Surprise fire off two wins each to lead Audi IRC Series

by Di Pearson on 24 Jan 2010
Following his pair of Division 2 wins in the Audi IRC Series today, Canute’s owner Peter Horn said, 'I’m pretty relieved we’re doing so well - it was a big effort bringing my new boat here from Sydney and I didn’t know what would happen – I feel great now.'

Horn should feel good. Canute, his brand new boat, has had little time on the water and a few crew members who have not sailed together before, but still fired off two windward/leeward race wins in succession on Corio Bay this afternoon.

Racing in the Audi Victoria Week event was delayed past the predicted start time of 12.30pm while officials from the Royal Geelong Yacht Club waited for winds to stabilise.

Tactician Rob Brown, a champion sailor in his own right, said it was not an easy day on the water. 'It was pretty tough, but we sailed really well. It was very shifty, so you had to get to the pressure lines and use them well,' he said.

Brown told how with limited preparation time due to the newness of the King 40, a New Zealand Mills design, 'We’re doing really well. We were rolled by three boats after a bad spinnaker set while we were leading the first race, but clawed our way back to win.'

Horn and Brown were happy with their starts. 'We nailed both the starts and wound the boat up to windward. I picked the pressure right all day; which is always nice. We also stayed patient and it all turned to gold,' said Brown, a former 18ft skiff world champion who also racks up podium places at Etchells regattas.

The Sydney based tactician conceded that good starts are necessary in this strong fleet of 19 yachts. 'If we don’t get them right, Just a Minor Hickup (Vic) and Two True (SA) will pounce. We’ll have to stay on our toes for the remainder of the series.

'It was a good day though, we sailed a near-perfect second race, and it’s not often you can say that. We’re looking forward to getting out there tomorrow.'

Peter Coleman’s Hick 39 Just a Minor Hickup from Royal Brighton Yacht Club has moved from the lead into second place after scoring good third and fourth places today, while Andrew Saies’ Rolex Sydney Hobart overall winner Two True, a new Beneteau First 40, is third on equal points with Coleman following second and third results.

Following in Canute’s footsteps, David Ellis and his BB10 Surprise, also reeled off two more wins to add to their Passage Race win yesterday, making for a perfect score in Division 3 of the Audi IRC Series hosted by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

'The team’s on fire,' said an excited Ellis late this afternoon. The Victorian yachtsman told how he didn’t expect to win the Passage Race, but he did expect to do well in today’s races 2 and 3.

'They were our perfect conditions; 8-12 knots on windward/leeward courses. It’s looking much the same for tomorrow, so that’s just great for us,' Ellis said.

'Once the wind increases, the bigger boats power up and then we sail in their dirty air. That happened at one stage today, but the breeze lightened off again.'

Surprise, an older boat, is at her best off the breeze in light air, when she romps. 'I’m so happy with my Doyle sails, they make a difference to the boat too. For the first time we are sailing against modern yachts and I didn’t know how we’d go against the likes of Aroona and Even Finer, but we’re doing very well,' a pleased Ellis confirmed.

Harvey Milne’s Archambault 31 Aroona and Jason Antill’s Dufour 34 Even Finer, both from Sydney, continue on in second and third places respectively. Milne scored third and second places today, while Antill came up with fourth and third placings.

Two further windward/leeward races for Divisions 2 and 3 are scheduled on Corio Bay for tomorrow (Monday 25th) from 12.30pm in the Royal Geelong Yacht Club hosted Audi Victoria Week event.
[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]
www.victoriaweek.com