“It was a special race for us because it was a celebration of my Dad’s successful heart by-pass surgery earlier in the week,” Hawthorn said. “He had some repair work done on his ticker and it was good to be able to take the boat out and get the win.”
“It very exciting day sailing perfect Sydney conditions with a great north easterly blowing. Early on it was slightly challenging with the course being set to accommodate the military exercise that was taking place just outside the Heads, so it was all a bit of a flurry prior to the race staring.”
“We didn’t get the greatest start but managed to get some clean air half way up the Harbour and set out following the fleet. The boat was going incredibly well and suddenly we were in the mix of the leaders which ultimately set us up for the win.”
Khaleesi (Andrew and Pauline Dally) from Middle Harbour Yacht Club finished second on IRC but remains four points clear of Imagination in the overall pointscore heading into the Christmas break.
In Division 2 Philip Bennett’s King Billy came away with the win to retain the overall pointscore lead with Next Light (Chris Ryan) coming in second.
PHS Division 1 provided a mixed bag with casual entrant The Philosophers Club (Peter Sorensen) taking top honours from Ultreya (Rod Pearse) and 2014 CYCA Short Ocean Pointscore winner, JustADash (Philip Dash).
Overall Amante (Dennis Cooper) is three points clear of Khaleesi, Imagination and JustADash who are all sitting on 22 points.
Across in Division 2, Shibumi (Bryan Moore and P Thompson) is closing in on Morag Bheag (John Maclurcan) in the overall pointscore with a win in race in race four of the series. Morag Bheag finished second on the weekend after winning the previous two races which will ensure an interesting and competitive return to racing after the Christmas break.
Race 4 of the Grant Thornton Short Haul Pointscore was won by Hugh O’Neill’s Indefensible a few minutes clear of Bob Penty’s Beneteau Oceanis 41s Great White.
“We didn’t see much of Indefensible during the race but spent most of the day in close company with Niel Burling (Baltic Lady) and Peter McClelland (Mascap),” Penty said.
“It was rather hard finding the seaward mark because the current was hard to manage, but apart from that it was an exciting, comfortable and gorgeous day of racing.”
Penty said it has been challenging over the past couple of week steering because he has a broken rib but he and the crew have been looking forward to the break in racing over the Christmas period.
“It is cruising time now, Christmas is cruising time and it will be our first year with the new boat so we very much look forward to it.”
Viva (Ken Hudson) rounded off the podium places in PHS while in IRC Sinewave (Greg Mason and Barb Maunsell) finished ahead of Ian Guanaria’s One More-No More and Crosshaven (Justin Pelly and Sean Rahilly).
For full race results CLICK HERE
Stacey French – CYCA Media
