| First entries received |
| By CYCA
Event Media. |
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| Photos and page edited by Peter Andrews. |
| February 25, 2010. |
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| Current leader of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s prestigious Blue Water Pointscore and owner of Ragamuffin, Syd Fischer, was the first to submit an entry for the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race. |
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Syd Fischer’s TP52 Ragamuffin.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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The 213 nautical mile category 2 event which starts on Friday March 19 is the last race in the CYCA’s seven race Blue Water Pointscore series. With one point separating first placed Ragamuffin on 15 points and Bob Steel’s and second placed Quest on 16 points, Fischer needs to sail a near-faultless race, finishing ahead of Quest, to win his tenth Blue Water Pointscore.
One of the early line honours favourites and defending race record holder Stephen Ainsworth’s RP63 Loki, holds fifth place in the Blue Water Pointscore. Only four points separate the top five and this last race will be an exciting encounter, as these five battle it out to win this prestigious event. |
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Stephen Ainsworth’s RP63 Loki.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas know only too well how hard it is to win the Blue Water Pointscore series. The duo won the title in 2006/07 with their modified Farr 40 AFR Midnight Rambler finishing third in the last race to win the title by two points.
AFR Midnight Rambler currently sits in third place on 17 points, two behind Ragamuffin. Next best placed is Geoff Ross’ RP55 Yendys in fourth place on 18 points. |
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Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas’ modified Farr 40 AFR Midnight Rambler.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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Another early entrant for the race is Steven Proud with his Sydney 38 Swish, fresh from his successful fourth overall, divisional second and Sydney 38 One Design win in the Rolex Sydney Hobart.
Both Swish and Ragamuffin have applied to enter in the IRC division as well as ORCi. Swish finished second under the new ORCi rating category; whilst Ragamuffin finished 9th. Colin Woods’ Cookson 50 Pretty Fly III, will also race under both rating systems. |
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Bob Steel’s TP52 Quest.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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Should five of more yachts enter the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race with valid ORCi rating certificates, the CYCA will offer an ORCi division as well as IRC and PHS. The overall winner of the race will be declared using IRC.
or Steven Proud, his crew’s request to ‘do the Hobart’ was the beginning of a season campaign.
"We decided as a crew that if we were going to sail the Rolex Sydney Hobart, then we had to be prepared; so we entered the Blue Water Pointscore to gain valuable offshore racing experience," he said.
"We performed well in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race and the Rolex Sydney Hobart, so we are aiming for a strong finish to the season with this race," Proud added. |
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Steven Proud’s Sydney 38 Swish.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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"The Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race is a great race. It’s distance is long enough to stretch the boat’s capabilities, and the finish is nice and close to home. In last year’s race we finished first in IRC Division 3, which was much better than the 2008 race where we were forced to retire due to damage just off Norah Head."
Swish is currently tied with Anthony Paterson’s Tow Truck for second place in the Tasman Pointscore Series (PHS Division of Blue Water Series) and Proud was looking forward to competing against the team from Tow Truck in this race. However Paterson, who was also running sixth in the Blue Water Pointscore series, has recently sold his Kerr 11.3 Tow Truck. The new owners who are based at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, have renamed the boat Dump Truck. |
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Anthony Paterson’s Tow Truck.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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"The boat went on the market shortly after the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The new owners took a good look at the boat when she was in Constitution Dock and made a very generous offer," Paterson said.
"We are sad not to have finished the Blue Water Pointscore Series with the boat, but I am very happy with what we’ve been able to achieve over the last two seasons," said Paterson, who was quick to keep the band of loyal Tow Truck followers poised as he quipped, "So stayed tuned for the next adventures of Tow Truck." |
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Anthony Paterson’s Tow Truck.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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The Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race will start at 12 noon on Friday March 19 from Sydney Harbour and take the fleet to a laid mark around 20 nautical miles east of Crowdy Head, before the yachts head for Newcastle and the finish in the Hunter River.
A total of seven yachts have entered since the Notice of Race and entry forms became available on the official race website http://sydneynewcastle.cyca.com.au. |
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Geoff Ross’ RP55 Yendys will be racing in the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race 2010.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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| Entries close at 17:00hrs, Friday March 5, 2010 and it is anticipated that a fleet of 30 yachts will take part in this third edition of the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race. |
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| Outimage and
CYCA © 2010 |
