Despite placing last on IRC corrected time in the Newcastle Race, Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban looks virtually unbeatable in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s prestigious Blue Water Pointscore for 2004-2005.

The 114 nautical mile race from Sydney to Cabbage Tree Island, north of Port Stephens, and back to Newcastle, was the second last race in the Blue Water Pointscore, the last race being the Sydney Mooloolaba in late March.

After discarding her sixth place points for this race, Ichi Ban has a total of 379 points, giving her an almost unassailable lead of 23 points from the Middle Harbour yacht, Austmark (Gunther Schmidt-Lindner) on 356 points.

A further 28 points back in third place is Ed Psaltis’ Farr 40,  AFR Midnight Rambler.

David Mason’s Beneteau 44.7, Prime Time, won the race to Newcastle, which started on Friday evening, from AFR Midnight Rambler and the MHYC entry, MRZ, skippered by Phillip Rowe.

Line honours went to the Volvo 60, Seriously TEN, owned by John Woodruff and Eric Robinson, which also won the Tasman Series (PHS) division on corrected time.  MRZ placed second, third went to John Cameron’s More Witchcraft.

The race to Cabbage Tree Island and back to Newcastle was sailed in light to moderate winds overnight, with Seriously TEN finishing just before 11am, but light winds have plagued the 24-boat fleet in the Ocean Pointscore race, direct from Sydney to Newcastle.

Going into the Mooloolaba Race,  Ichi Ban has a lead over only three points from Seriously TEN in the Tasman Pointscore,  with Austmark in third place overall.

Because of the light and unstable morning winds, the CYCA Race Committee took the fleet under motor to north of Broken Bay before giving the fleet a start, but by 7pm this evening only three boats had finished, with the wind dying away at sunset.

Dick Cawse took line honours with his 60-footer Vanguard, just 9 minutes in front of the Volvo 60, Andrew Short Marine (Andrew Short), with another 42 minutes to Future Shock (Ron Ellis). – Peter Campbell