Please select your home edition
Edition
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - LEADERBOARD

Hobart Combined Clubs Long Race Series Race 5

by Liz Rountree 17 Mar 2024 23:59 PDT 4 February 2024

The last of the Combined Clubs Long Race Pennant was true to the name, with most competitors describing the day as just that, "Long", made longer by the possibility of a sea breeze that never came.

"Sitting off Little Betsy Island with 5 kts of breeze, 3 kts of current and severe backwash from the island, we didn't think we would finish before midnight," laughs IYKYK skipper Steve Chau, sharing what just about the whole fleet was thinking at one point or another.

Luckily the breeze trickled in. managing to bring the troops home with kites up. "It was a glorious run back from Betsy," says Gus McKay the sometimes skipper of Jazz Player, "And we enjoyed some really close views of the impressive Porco Rosso."

While not quite enough for the Cookson 50 to "stretch her legs" according to skipper Paul McCartney, it was still a great day out for Porco Rosso to get ready for some Autumn training before Winter boat work and their 2024 Sydney to Hobart campaign. The team nabbed Line Honours ahead of Gary Smith's Fork in the Road.

And while they didn't have to, David Calvert and Team Intrigue went ahead and took the win for the day in the Division 1 IRC and ORC handicap, locking and throwing away the key on the Pennant win in both categories, leaving Jazz Player the win on PHS.

Intrigue of course is not just a champion yacht, but a maker of champions.

Only 2 weeks ago Jacinta Cooper skippered her for an overall win on the 42 South Women's Regatta, hosted by the Derwent Sailing Squadron.

"Intrigue was a pleasure to sail. She's a well-balanced boat in immaculate condition," shares Cooper. "Absolute credit to the Calvert family for looking after this 40-year-old yacht."

Cooper got her big start in yachting as a young sailor with the help of the Calvert family for her first overseas event in J24s in Newport Rhode Island, and later in J22s in Dubai.

"It was support from the Intrigue fund that helped make these regattas possible," continues Cooper.

Jill and Don Calvert continue to develop new talent, taking on the newest up-and-comers like Jack Harris who is well on his way to his Yacht Masters.

Just behind the winners, Matthew Keal's Fish Frenzy and "CWeeds" Joint Custody had an excellent performance in the final race for 2nd and 3rd in the handicap results for the day, giving Joint Custody the tiebreaker for 2nd overall in the IRC series over Jazz Player, Jazz Player holding on to 2nd in the ORC rating.

IYKYK finished 2nd to Stewart Geeves' Footloose on IRC both in the race and in the series by one point but managed to keep the ORC win for both. Ron Akhurst's Jigsaw had a standout performance in Div 2 to finish 2nd on ORC in the race, for a 3rd place overall in the series behind Footloose.

"Spending lots of time parked, followed by a reasonably fast run home helped us," reports Geeves.

Newcomers Polka Dot Lady (Michael and the Pritchards) and Anna (fresh import from QLD James Chilman) brought extra competition to the division, finishing 1st and 3rd in Line Honours.

Some of the tightest racing took place in Div 3, with a neck and neck nail-biter between Camlet Way and Joie de Vie - each thinking the other had won in the end. "Some boats did better with lifts up the Western shore," says skipper Ben Morgan of Joie de Vie, "Surprisingly it stayed lighter in the East although there was a South-Easterly forecast." He and his team managed to win the day by a mere 40 seconds and in doing so took the series, with Camlet Way (Stephen Mannering) and Astrolabe (Peter Bosworth) in 2nd and 3rd overall.

Once again RO Ian Ross and the team onboard made the most of a lacklustre day, for a competitive finish to the Pennant.

Once sailors have recovered, it might just be time to think about next year - and McKay has got a few reasons why:

"It's personally my pick of the racing out of Hobart. It's really close racing and a mixed bag of conditions that keeps everyone on their toes and provides plenty of hero to zero and then back to hero moments!"

One more Saturday to go, to finish off the Summer Pennants with the last of the Harbour Series...

Full Series Results

Combined Clubs Hosts: Bellerive Yacht Club * Derwent Sailing Squadron * Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania

Related Articles

Rolex Fastnet Race: IRC Two Preview
With 73 entries in IRC Two, the Rolex Fastnet Race is set to deliver a striking display. Could two new JPK 1050s upset the apple cart in IRC Two? Jean-Pierre Kelbert has a habit of breaking the mould in IRC racing, and his new 34-footer may well be a game changer in this competitive division with 73 entries. Posted today at 10:36 am
Dragon Edinburgh Cup in Torbay overall
Tight Racing and Tactical Brilliance The final day of the 2025 Edinburgh Cup brought sunshine, shifting breeze, and two exciting races that kept the championship wide open until the very last run. Posted today at 8:13 am
Seldén Rodkicker 50 - manual rigid vang
Specifically sized for yachts between 50 and 55 feet A Rodkicker rigid vang is designed to enhance sail handling during reefing and allows for greater sail trim control. Posted today at 8:00 am
WASZP Games 2025: Talent & fun descend on Weymouth
Poised to be the largest and most competitive in the class's history The 2025 International WASZP Games, set to take place from July 19–25 at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, are poised to be the largest and most competitive in the class's history. Posted today at 7:23 am
Transpac 2025 Update: Moon River Tonight!
The magic of offshore racing in the 2025 Transpac A vast ocean separates Los Angeles, California, from Honolulu, Hawaii, but the boats racing in this year's Transpac have now crossed the halfway mark. Race leaders are in the tradewinds and making their approach to the Aloha State. Posted today at 12:26 am
20 Canadians set for Long Beach Grand Slam Event
The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta will be held July 12-20 20 Canadian sailors will take part in the fourth and next-to-last event of the 2025 Sailing Grand Slam Series, the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta, to be held July 12-20 at one of the two Olympic venues for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 10 Jul
All smiles among first finishers of the AEGEAN 600
The fastest teams crossed the finish line today at Cape Sounion As the fastest teams crossed the finish line today at Cape Sounion and made their way to the harbour at Olympic Marine, there were exhausted smiles all around. Posted on 10 Jul
British Classic Week day 4
It was a classic Solent day in Cowes for the OneSails inshore race It was a classic Solent day in Cowes for day 4 of British Classic Week with hot temperatures, sunshine and no breeze in the morning before the sea breeze kicked in from the west and it was time to go racing. Posted on 10 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 5
Finalists locked in for new Medal Series format With the sea breeze stubbornly refusing to make an appearance, Day 5 of the iQFOiL World Championship turned into a long waiting game both ashore and on the water. Posted on 10 Jul
Jazz Turner Video Interview
How she Faced Everything And Rose during Project FEAR I travelled to Brighton Marina to catch up with Jazz, talking about her own sailing, the challenges she faced during the circumnavigation, how the money raised will be used, and a glimpse of her future projects! Posted on 10 Jul
Rooster 2025Mackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMArmstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - BOTTOM