Mr Beaks Ribs wins historic Gascoigne Cup

by Peter Campbell on 4 Nov 2007 Cruising Yacht Club of Australia member David Beaks today added the prestigious Gascoigne Cup to an impressive list of results so far in the 2007-2008 ocean racing season with his Beneteau 44.7 Mr Beak’s Ribs.

The victory also adds the yacht’s name to an historic list of yachts that have won the Gascoigne Cup since it was first sailed for with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron 122 years ago.

The Cup is awarded to the yacht with the lowest corrected time based on PHS handicaps, although IRC results are also declared as part of the short ocean point score.

The Gascoigne Cup was sailed offshore Saturday, in a south-easterly breeze and lumpy sea, starting at 18-20 knots but easing during the afternoon to 12 knots, with Mr Beak’s Ribs winning from Julian Farren-Price’s Cookson 12 About Time after a close duel throughout the 20 nautical mile course. Brilliant (Howard and Susan Piggott) placed third in PHS results.

Under IRC handicaps, the results were reversed with About Time winning from Mr Beak’s Ribs and Bob Steel’s TP52 Quest, which also recorded fastest time.

'Ian Short as tactician was brilliant, picking the right shifts and the correct sail changes necessary as the wind eased away during the afternoon,' a delighted David Beaks said after the race.

'We again had a great race against About Time and in the CYCA Short Ocean Point Score we are leading the PHS Division from About Time and equal with them in the IRC Division.

'We are also lying second in the CYCA’s Blue Water Point Score after the Audi Gold Coast, Bird Island and Flinders Island races in our preparation for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race,' Beak added.

Originally from South America, David Beak has lived in Australia for 23 years and operates a meat processing business supplying prominent restaurants and food outlets - giving his yacht an appropriate name.