Combined Hobart Clubs Summer Pennant Series - Race 5
by Jane Austin 5 Dec 2020 22:48 PST
6 December 2020
Zephyr Insurance Masters rounds the mark during Combined Clubs Summer Pennant Series Race 5 © Steven Shield
Zephyr Insurance Masters was last across the line in Division One but took the honours on performance handicap in Saturday's Combined Clubs Summer Pennant. Skipper Ian Johnston was happy with his team's performance.
"We had a great race - it was just a pity that the 25+ knot wind backed off for the long work back to the finish line at Castray which helped the lighter displacement boats, but we were very happy with our result as we usually sail in the long-distance series not the harbour series," said Johnston.
Skipper Ian Johnston welcomed former local sailor Shaun Hancock back from Townsville to work the foredeck and to get some serious racing under his belt before the TasPorts Launceston to Hobart race start two days after Christmas.
Race five of the ten race series started in a shifty 15 to 18 knot northerly, as forecast. Tilt (Peter Cretan) had a great day on the water winning across the line almost four minutes ahead of Fork in the Road (Gary Smith) and five minutes ahead of Doctor Who (Rod Jackman) in Division One. Midnight Rambler (Ed Psaltis) and Intrigue (Don Calvert) had another duel on the water with five or six lead changes but Psaltis held off Calvert by one to two boat lengths at the finish. "We had a fantastic day today on the water and have just one more training session before heading to Sydney on Friday night," said Jory Linscott from Midnight Rambler.
In Divisions Two, Three and Four, Pirate's Pride (Peter Masterton), Invincible (Bryan Walpole) and Camlet Way (Stephen Mannering) were first across the line and first on performance handicap, respectively.
Divisions Two and Four sailed a shortened course with the breeze fading as they crossed the finish line for the first time on the first lap.
The Series now breaks for the offshore races and resumes with a long race on the 9th of January 2021.
Results can be found here.