Race Four of the Audi Winter Series 2009 commenced in 10-12 knots of easterly to ENE breeze with a full course being sailed on course B. The prevailing winds and high tides of Saturday had abated with conditions much calmer inside the harbour. The second biggest fleet for the Audi Winter Series of 130 yachts raced today.
With mild temperatures and sunshine poking its head through any left over clouds, it was again a wonderful winter day’s sailing. PRO John Hurley commented on the day’s racing “Today’s racing was interesting for all. Sailing on course B in the easterly wind conditions allowed competitors a long beat from Cannae Point to Fort Denison & Garden Island up to the gate at the Rose Bay mark, depending upon what division yachts were racing in.
“The breeze was consistent for most of the day staying in at 10 -12 knots and only lightened to 9-10 knots as some of the non-spinnaker divisions were finishing. We’ve managed to have good breezes thus far in the Audi Winter Series, so we have been able to get in some good full courses races.”
In Division C, Icom Utopia skippered by Peter Messenger finished first with Pacific Sailing School’s Cadenza second and Sam Haynes’ Celestial third.
“It was a day of mixed fortunes for us. In the lighter breeze, Icom Utopia is quicker than the bigger boats, but in heavy conditions she is a lot slower,” said Peter Messenger. “By the time we had started a lot of the fleet was ahead of us, but they got parked at the Cannae Point mark. We seemed to pass the majority of the fleet before we’d even completed lap one.”
“We seemed to have luck with the breeze as we had a really good straight leg up to the top mark and then after rounding the mark were under spinnaker to Bradley’s Head. On our second lap we were sailing side by side Cadenza up until the finish, where we beat them by just over four minutes. We were lucky to win today – Gaia was leading for most of the race, but she missed rounding a mark and it took a while for them to realize that they’d missed it and then to correct the error,” concluded Peter.
In Division D, Desmond Fagan’s Lisdillon finished first, with Andy Kearnan & Peter Whitford’s Wirrajund second and Justin Pelly & Sean Rahilly’s Crosshaven third.
“The conditions were much more favourable for us than last week. We’ve come from last in the field last week to finish first this week,” said Desmond Fagan. “I think our handicap was much more favourable this week – the 36 footers were moved up in the start sequence, which meant we were starting nearer to the 32 footers.”
“The steady easterly conditions were much more predictable than last week, when we got caught in the wind shift from SW to SE and were sitting just off Point piper for 20 minutes waiting for the breeze. We had very smooth crew work today and we came up with the win,” concluded Desmond.
In Division J, Ray Entwistle’s Jackpot (a casual entrant) finished first, with Peter Franki’s Salt Shaker second and Shaaron Walsh’s Trim third.
Other division winners included Past Commodore Geoff Lavis’ UBS Wild Thing (Division A), Bernie Van’t Hof’s Tulip (Division B), Nathan Smith’s Froth & Bubble (Division E), Alan Mather’s Akela (Division F), George Waldthausen’s Superfine (Division G), Brett & Karen Pearce’s Broulee (Division H), Herman Heiligers’ Hubcap II (Division K) and Michael McMahon & Warwick Miller’s X3 (Sydney 38OD).
For Full divisional results please log on to https://www.cyca.com.au/sysfile/downloads/2009/club/aws09/04RGrp1.htm
For Sydney 38 One Design results please log on to https://www.cyca.com.au/sysfile/downloads/2009/club/awss38/04RGrp2.htm
By Jennifer Crooks
