If things seem a litte quiet on the CYCA marina this week, it’s because most of the racing fleet have raced or cruised north to contest the annual Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week.
At the pointy end of the fleet which makes up the IRC Big Boat division, all are CYCA members lead by Grant Wharington from Melbourne.
Steven David’s Wild Joe is enjoying a fantastic tussle with island owner Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats X while the two 60 foot fixed keelers Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki and Dick Cawse’s Vanguard are never far from each other. Loki is currently second in the all important pointscore after race six yesterday, the final windward/leeward for the week.
In the IRC Racing division, Ray Roberts’ DK46 Quantum Racing is the only Sydney and CYCA entry, up against a hot fleet of Victorian, New Zealand and Queensland based grand prix racers. Quantum Racing, the overall IRC winner of the recent Sydney Mooloolaba Race and last week’s Airlie Beach Regatta, is just one point from the division leader Hardys Secret Mens Business from South Australia.
In the closely contested Sydney 38 division, Alan Brierty’s Western Australian Limit is nominated as a CYCA boat.
In the Performance Handicap division, CYCA Commodore Geoff Lavis and wife Pip are currently equal second in the pointscore with UBS Wild Thing. Sailing in the same division is the Volvo 60 Getaway Sailing and Nick Athineos’ Kioni.
The Premier Cruising class could be renamed the CYCA division with every boat bar one from the Rushcutters Bay club. Heading into today’s Whitehaven Race, Graeme Wood’s Wotif.com is sharing the pointscore lead with Paul Clitheroe’s Balance, both on 9 points, Colin and Gladys Woods’ Pretty Fly II rounding the top three places off in third on 17 points. Laurence Freedman’s Espresso Forte is also sailing a great regatta, making some great tactical decisions on the course to often be leading the big Swan 82 Ipixuna around the course.
In the IRC Cruising class, Rod Wills’ Great Xpectations, David Beaks Mr Beaks Ribs, William and Nevine Neill’s White Satin and Scott Munro’s Chancellor have all traveled from the CYCA to the beautiful waters of the Queensland Whitsundays for this week long regatta, Australia’s largest yachting regatta.
David Bell’s Four Bells, Tim Casey’s In the Mood, Brendan Hunt’s Lumina Vitae, Dayne Sharp’s RYA, complete with EastSail students, and Robert and Sue Segaert’s Shiralee are all flying the CYCA flag in the Cruising division.
The prize for the most recognizable CYCA boat goes to John Clinton and his Beneteau 523 Holy Cow. John picked himself up a new fluorescent green suit and matching cowboy hat which he wore to the launch party last Friday, the first social event of Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week. On the water, the crew are stand outs with their fluro green crew shirts while the boat’s cow print headsail makes it easy to spot amongst the large cruising fleet. A new addition for Holy Cow this year is a cow horn mounted on the stern rail which John is happy to sound whenever there are media or whales in the vicinity. – Lisa Ratcliff
