Please select your home edition
Edition
V-DRY-X

Combined Clubs Harbour Pennant Overall

by Liz Rountree 25 Mar 2024 14:46 HKT 4 February 2024
Young Magic with a pink kite comes in for a tight finish © Collette Calver

The I's Have It

Intrigue, IYKYK and Innovator finish as season Champions, but not without a final fight. The RYCT Race Management spun magic in the tricky conditions setting two courses that gave the competitors a tough final bout.

"The starts were just how I like it," says Ian "CWeed" Stewart. "The little boats all amongst the big boats, a little bit of argy-bargy, that's what it's all about."

More than a few crew shared how happy they were with the racecourse on such a shifty split-breeze day.

Division 1 featured two races, with Young Magic winning both IRC and ORC, while Hooligan won on PHS.

"At one point we could see the Division 2 boats with kites coming up the river, and we had kites up going down the river, so we thought, OK time to act," reports Michelle Boutchard, co-owner of Young Magic, "And that's racing on the Derwent."

"I just love the Windward-Leeward stuff. You don't get a moment to get bored," adds co-owner Paul Boutchard. The team had a tight Port-Starboard duck with Intrigue and Heatwave Fish Frenzy at one of the top marks. "And You've got to be pretty switched on."

Jazz Player took all three titles in the second race.

"It probably helped that Fork in the Road and Wargames had to go back [at the start], that gave us a bit of a hop on them," says skipper Brent McKay. With a clean start, Jazz Player was able to extend in clean air, while more than a few teams had a tough time laying the tight reach.

Intrigue was right behind, however, pulling in seconds and a third, as series new-comer Eye Candy snuck ahead on the IRC results in the second race.

"The Mumm30s were always on us today, keeping us on our toes," reports Intrigue spokesperson, bowman Jack Harris. "It was always pedal to the metal."

The Intrigue crew unanimously thanked Year 12 student Charlie Salmon, for his phenomenal progress this season. Apparently, it all started as a bit of a joke, "Just come for a sail," said Jill Calvert.

Fastforward to the last long-race of the series where Salmon stepped up to replace bowman Harris who was away for the weekend. His standout performance is a testament to Intrigue's commitment to training up new sailors and bringing them into the sport.

Young Magic took second overall in the series on IRC, edging out Joint Custody on a tiebreaker, second on ORC ratings, and won the PHS.

"Drew Latham did a great job steering," shares Paul Boutchard, who co-owns the boat with wife Michelle, "We're really pleased with the whole team, and the work we've done to get an old boat up to speed. [Young Magic] is doing what it was designed to do."

In Division 2, Xcite clipped IYKYK on the final leg to the finish for the Line Honours win, by hugging Wrest Point shore, but it wasn't enough to win on handicap.

"Certainly worked the forward hands hard today, we did," laughs Scott "Brainy" Brain of Team IYKYK. "The Kites went up and down a few times today." Well done, Toby Burnell, and to all the bow and mast teams.

But the action didn't stop there - the highlight of the day was the massive pod of dolphins off the Garrow, "One nearly jumped on board and landed on Colleen!" exclaimed Brainy. "It breached right by the beam of the boat."

Bandwagon cleaned up on ORC, with IYKYK holding the IRC win, and Kamehameha taking first on PHS. Kamehameha owner and usual skipper David O'neill thanks Ed Psaltis and Jim Reid for taking the boat round the buoys for the last race of the season.

Bandwagon's late season success propelled them in the overall series to clinch second place on ORC ahead of Wings Three, just edging Xcite off the podium.

IYKYK started the day already winning the series on IRC and ORC and finished the day taking the PHS win off Serica by a mere point.

In Division 3, Astrolabe won overall on PHS, but it wasn't quite enough to beat out Innovator for the series win, who took Line Honours and finished second overall. Unfortunately, podium hopeful Hornet was nonstarter, unable to make the start line due to unforeseen circumstances, but the team had a competitive season with a very tight fleet in Division 3.

The series might be over, but sailing isn't as Hobarts local champion looks outwards. "It's been a tricky season, but a rewarding one," shares Harris, "Proving that [Intrigue] can go well for the IRC Nationals."

Harris has been crewing a few seasons now, and the learning never stops. Being aboard Intrigue has been an opportunity for him to observe crew work at it's best.

"[The communication] is always so calm and collected," shares Harris. "There's no stress on board the boat, which makes it easier for everyone to do their job right, which then makes things run easier - especially for me up the front."

Good luck to Team Intrigue and their endeavors representing Tasmania at the IRC National Championships - we certainly hope to see them "up the front".

Full Results can be found here

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

Related Articles

Admirals Cup: Day 8 - Minnows win AC25
Two small sailing countries have struck a hammer blow for the sport, taking top places in AC25 In a result that is a hammer blow for the sport and the revival of major offshore teams trophies, Monaco and Hong Kong have provisionally taken first and second in the world championship of offshore racing. Posted today at 3:15 pm
A Crown for the Principality
Yacht Club de Monaco wins the 2025 Admiral's Cup The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) is delighted to announce the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) as the winner of the 2025 Admiral's Cup. Posted today at 12:41 pm
49er & 49erFX Junior Worlds kicks off in Rungsted
Officially opened last night with a vibrant Opening Ceremony Today, we proudly welcome 105 teams and 210 athletes from across the globe to Rungsted for the start of the 49er and 49erFX Junior World Championship 2025. Posted today at 10:56 am
RS Feva Worlds Qualifying Series complete
Sailors split into three flights of yellow, blue, and red Two days of qualifying series with 168 boats on lake Bourget, Club Nautique Voile d'es Bains, sailors split into three flights of yellow, blue, and red. Posted today at 10:24 am
A defining finale to the Admiral's Cup 2025
Provisional results are in and the overall winner will be officially announced today At the end of the 5th day of the Rolex Fastnet Race just 7 boats in the Admiral's Cup fleet were still racing. The majority had moored up in Cherbourg and the dock was filled with sailors and supporters sharing a beer, a slice of pizza and their stories. Posted today at 9:50 am
2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior Worlds, day 5
Upwind Sprints shake up the rankings as fleets split for the final push tomorrow in the Final Series The fifth day of the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships finally brought the conditions everyone was waiting for in the Bay of Brest. Posted on 29 Jul
43 Copa del Rey MAPFRE Day 1
Italy lead three classes A promising offshore breeze which topped 14kts at times diminished as the afternoon rolled meaning only the one windward leeward race could be contested, but it was enough for top Italian teams to establish an early lead. Posted on 29 Jul
Bonafous scores her first IMOCA class win
After close battle with Charal for Rolex Fastnet Race glory The French sailor Elodie Bonafous' spectacular start to her career in the IMOCA Class continued today as she followed up second place in the Course des Caps earlier this month with her first victory in the Class in the Rolex Fastnet Race. Posted on 29 Jul
Fastnet Race, RS Aeros, Isle of Wight
Fastnet Race, RS Aero Worlds, GL50s, Isle of Wight circumnavigation When the conversation turns to the world's greatest middle-distance bluewater races, talk tends to linger on the Rolex Fastnet Race, which started on Saturday, July 26, and for great reason. Posted on 29 Jul
Admirals Cup: Day 8 - Match racing the last miles
The front runners in class AC1 (50fters) of the 2025 Admirals' Cup are racing gybe for gybe The front runners in class AC1 (50fters) of the 2025 Admirals' Cup are match racing as they work down the side of the last Exclusion Zone heading for the race finish off Cherbourg. Posted on 29 Jul
Selden 2020 - FOOTERCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERC-Tech 2020 Battens 2 728x90 BOTTOM