| Hooligan maintains lead
after long day out. |
| By the Rolex Trophy
Media Team. |
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Photos by
Peter Andrews,
Page edited By Peter Andrews. |
| December 17, 2010. |
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| It was a long day on the water for the reward of just one race in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Trophy Rating Series today, where Marcus Blackmore and his Hooligan crew sailed into third place to maintain their series lead. Queenslander Bill Wild’s Rodd & Gunn Wedgetail finished fourth, maintaining second place overall. Rodd & Gunn Wedgetail trails Hooligan, who won both races yesterday, by five points. |
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Marcus Blackmore’s TP52 Hooligan, during the 2010 Rolex
Trophy Rating Series offshore Sydney Australia.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage Australia.
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It was not all smooth sailing though, as both broke the start and had to return. Added to that, Hooligan (NSW) is filing a protest against Wild’s Reichel Pugh 55 over a buoy room incident at the finish line. Hooligan’s crew boss Terry Wetton briefly described their performance, in what was a difficult day offshore Sydney. "We made a good comeback and got back into it. We headed left and that got us back up into third place."
Today’s top two boats were both from Victoria. Michael Hiatt’s Farr 55 Living Doll overcame a challenge from fellow Victorian Rob Hanna, with his TP52 Shogun, to take overall honours. |
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Bill Wild’s Reichel Pugh 55 (former Yendys), Rodd & Gunn
Wedgetail, during the 2010 Rolex Trophy Rating Series offshore
Sydney Australia.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage Australia.
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"We had a very intensive start and came out pushing hard," said Hiatt. "We went left off the start and that paid well. It was mixed fortunes for us actually. We were leading the fleet after the first lap, but our upwind speed was disappointing. We managed to hold onto first place though."
Rob Hanna’s response to hearing he’d lost first place by 13 seconds to Hiatt was cheerful. "Ah, so he got me, I would have been happier with a bullet, but he’s a mate, so I’m happy for him." And Hanna brightened up when told he had moved into third place overall.
"I’m pleased to have a good result. I wish we’d had time for a second race; Shogun’s good in the really light stuff. The start was hairy though; it’s difficult when you get so many good boats trying to start in light breeze." |
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Michael Hiatt’s Farr 55 Living Doll, during the 2010 Rolex Trophy
Rating Series offshore Sydney Australia.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage Australia.
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Hanna said he watched as "some boats made big gains, others big losses. It was a high percentage day. The current wasn’t too bad, but the cross-swell was a bit rough. I don’t think anyone would have enjoyed it," he said.
Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki and Alan Brierty’s Limit had what Western Australian Brierty described as "a disastrous day".
"We were third last and Loki was just in front of us. The boat’s just not good in really light breeze. Still, it’s all good training for the Hobart; well that’s what I keep trying to tell myself; stay positive!"
Today’s sixth place has dropped Loki (NSW) down to fourth overall. However, the Reichel Pugh 63 is still well in touch with the top three, with two longer races to sail over the weekend. |
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Stephen Ainsworth’s Reichel Pugh 63 Loki, during the
2010 Rolex Trophy Rating Series offshore Sydney Australia.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage Australia.
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Principal Race Officer, Denis Thompson, initially delayed racing on the two lap windward leeward offshore course, waiting for a stable breeze to fill in. They waited and they waited, but nothing more than 2 knots prevailed and left the yachts on a merry-go-round as light airs kept going around the dial. So uncomfortable was the waiting in such conditions, everyone moved to the more comfortable waters of Watsons Bay, just inside South Head and waited it out there. They were still there until called back offshore to start Race 3 at 2.30pm. Finally, in a 5 knot north-north easterly, the fleet was away, the breeze clocking further left as the race developed. Those who went right paid the penalty.
Marcus Blackmore who won both races yesterday with his new TP52 Hooligan (NSW) was over the start early, along with second place holder Bill Wild’s Rodd & Gunn Wedgetail (Qld) and the super maxi Lahana, owned by Peter Millard and John Honan. All three boats had to return to restart.
Tomorrow, crews will swap short windward leeward races for an offshore passage race of up to 27 nautical miles, due to start at 11.00am, weather dependent.
Full results of the Rolex Trophy Rating Series are available at: http://www.cyca.com.au/sysfile/downloads/2010/club/2010RTSRTS/series.htm.
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2010 |
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