Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore Series - Bird Island Race
by DJ Munro, CYCA 1 Dec 2018 12:09 UTC
A packed-out boat-end start line in 5-10 knots of building nor 'east sea breeze this morning saw not only the first day of summer, but the start of the final Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore (Audi Centre Sydney BWPS) series before the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Forty competitors have started in this year's Bird Island Race, the shortest and fastest of the Audi Centre Sydney BWPS, and with conditions created a level playing field, this year's race is anyone's game.
"We are going to win" said the invariably confident Shane Kearns from his S&S 34 Komatsu Azzurro – the smallest boat in the fleet – before the 1000hrs start.
Kearns' confidence is so unwavering, in fact, that even as the last boat out of the Sydney Heads and making for Bird Island some 40 nautical miles north, he could still be heard cajoling his crew with "we're winning, we're winning!"
Providing strong competition for the smallest boat in the fleet, however, will be some of the largest. Four TP52s: Matt Allen's Ichi Ban, CYCA Rear Commodore Dr Sam Haynes' Celestial, Peter Wrigley & Andy Kearnan's Koa and Matt Donald & Chris Townsend's Gweilo are currently racing north in that order after an exciting tussle off north head saw the lead change with every cross.
Shadowing them closely is Michael Cranitch's LC60 Triton, with Hugh Ellis' RP63 Voodoo and Sean Langman's newly-christened RP 65 Naval Group ahead. All of these teams will be using this race as preparation for their 628-nautical-mile journey to come on Boxing Day.
And no boats will be watching each other more closely than the three super-maxis at the head of the race. Riding the building nor 'easterly breeze Jim Cooney & Samantha Grant's Comanche has overtaken Pater Harburg's lighter-wind-favoured Black Jack as they race past Bateau Bay, only 12 miles from the turning point.
Christian Beck's InfoTrack, after setting, resetting and setting their sails again down Sydney Harbour is also rising to the occasion, and the building breeze, hunting down their same-sized competitors.
Some very close racing is also being had in the bulk of the fleet with almost three quarters of the competitors spread between just an eight-nautical mile field. This pack including the likes of 2017 Blue Water Pointscore champion Tony Kirby's Ker 46 Patrice, as well as this year's Cabbage Tree Island Race winner CYCA Vice Commodore Noel Cornish AM's Sydney 47 St Jude.
Kevin Whelan's Reve, another stalwart of CYCA's racing program, is towards the back of the fleet. With only Komastu Azzurro trailing, the team aboard Reve will surely be spurred on by the almost-incessant "we're winning, we're winning" coming across the water from the little blue boat behind.
Don't forget to follow what is shaping us as high-powered drag race all the way to the finish with the Yacht Tracker and watch the standings live on the Results page of the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore series website.
Comanche breaks seven-year record
After capturing the eyes of the world and, more importantly to her team, Line Honours and the new open record for fastest time in the 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in spectacular fashion, Comanche has backed up with an undeniably dominant performance in this year's Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore (Audi Centre Sydney BWPS) series.
Five races down and one to go, Jim Cooney & Samantha Grant's 100-foot racer has not only claimed four Line Honours victories, but three new records in the series considered to be the pinnacle of ocean racing in this country.
"The team only had four days together on the boat before the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race last year," said Cooney who famously purchased Comanche a mere 96 hours before the start.
"This year we have set out to prove the boat's credentials and have worked hard on our light-air performance and downwind depth. I think that work is now shining through and the team has really come together."
And with today's Bird Island Race now behind them, their attention inevitably turns towards the greatest race in the Australian sailing calendar, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starting on Boxing Day this year. With five super-maxis entered and an exceptional line-up throughout, it has been described as the toughest fleet in the history of the event.
"These are all top-line boats, and we're all very, very keen to be first across the line for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Three of the super-maxis have won before, and it's fair to say the top half of Scallywag has won the race before! But it will come down to conditions, it will come down to a bit of luck, everyone will be trying their utmost hardest and all teams have put their preparation in," said Cooney.