A light 5-7 knot sou’wester provided challenging conditions for the 91 boats in Race 8 of the CYCA’s 2022 Winter Series.
It was another glorious Winter’s day on Sydney Harbour, with the sun shining and the temperature reaching 19 degrees.
In Division A1, David Fuller’s Davidson 59 Another Duchess got the gun for her second win of the series, moving four points clear of Darryl Hodgkinson’s Carkeek 40 Victoire, which finished second. David Gotze’s Reichel/Pugh 63, No Limit, was third to remain in touch on the overall standings.
After claiming her first win of the series a week earlier, Malcolm Roe’s Swan Class 45 Amazingrace won Division A2, moving within four points of overall leader Indi (second), Commodore Noel Cornish’s Farr 40. Colin Wilson steered Never a Dull Moment to third.
David Hundt’s Farr 40 IOR Sagacious V grabbed her first win of the 2022 Winter Series in an exciting finish to Division B. The top three boats were separated by just 48 seconds, with Cyrene 3 (Michael Selby) pipping OZ Design Patrice Six (Alexander Flecknoe-Brown) to second place by just 11 seconds.
Sagacious V is now just one point behind series leader OZ Design Patrice Six with two races remaining, while Blink (Mark Gorbatov) is a further two points adrift.
Gerard Kesby’s Northshore 369 Valkyrie won Division D, with Kym Evans steering Whistling Kite to second to maintain the overall lead. George Waldthausen’s Cavalier 350SL Superfine was third.
Michael Blaxell’s Dubois 30 Highway Patrol was back on the podium for the first time since Race 2, winning Division E from White Noise (David Klees) and Krakatoa (Don Young).
Brett Eagle steered Wild Oats to Division F victory, hunting down Panacea (Reece Theedam). Kevin Whelan’s Beneteau 45F5 Reve was third.
Checkmate (Fernando Tiglio) took Division G honours, from Zara (John Griffin) and Pacatack (Terry Wise).
Alan and Tom Quick’s Farr 40 Outlaw chased down her challengers to win Division J1, as just 10 seconds separated second-placed Next (Miles Bastick/Haydn Dare/Jon Short) from third-placed SOLyMAR (Jason and Mary King).
After winning the first three races of the series, Past Commodore Paul Billingham and Pete McGee’s Bakewell White Z39 Wild West was back on top of Division J2. James Butler’s Northshore 380S Shorething and Douglas McGain’s Defiance rounded out the podium.
Lee Hawksley’s Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 Boomerang made it back-to-back wins in Division K, ahead of Privateer (Raymond Golzar) and First Light (Rear Commodore David Jacobs and Roy Melick).
The Sydney 38 title is set to go down to the wire, with just four points separating the top four boats in the overall standings.
Lisa Callaghan’s Mondo won a third consecutive race, beating Kimberley Jaggar’s Cinquante by just 25 seconds on corrected time. John Amos’ Utopia was third to move within a point of series leader Advanced Philosophy (Peter Sorensen).
Race 9 will be held on Sunday 3 July, with the series finale on 10 July.
