Race 8 of the Grant Thornton Short Ocean Pointscore Series was hosted by Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and raced in conjunction with the Milson Memorial Cup.

Because of heavy seas and strong easterly winds offshore which made mark laying difficult,  race officer Peter Hemery elected on a harbour course for the fleet, with the breeze ranging between 14 and 22 knots on a cool, wet and windy ‘summer’s day’.

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron past Commodore and Life Member Norman Longworth’s remarkable knowledge of the winds and tides of Sydney Harbour paid a handsome dividend on Saturday when the veteran yachtsman skippered Aurelia II to victory in the Squadron’s historic Milson Memorial Cup (which commemorates that family that was among the founders of the RSYS).

Aurelia II, a Warwick Hood-designed 10m sloop, was last boat to finish the 16 nautical mile course but with the lowest PHS handicap rating comfortably won the Milson Memorial Cup on PHS corrected time. 

With the Milson Cup on the harbour, Longworth was able to utilise his local knowledge to beat the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s short ocean pointscore leader Imagination (Annette & Robin Hawthorn) and Desmond Fagan’s Lisdillon on corrected time.

In the Grant Thornton Short Ocean Pointscore IRC Division 1, Imagination continued her success this season, beating About Time (Julian Farren-Price) and line honours winner Shortwave, Matthew Short’s TP52.

Imagination was also the winner in PHS Division 1 with Stephen Thomas’ Blackadder second and Julian Farren Price’s About Time third. 

Lisdillon won PHS Division 3 with Eye Appeal (Michael Delaney & John Markos) second and Morag Bheag (John Maclurcan) third.

In IRC Division 3, Morag Bheag (John Maclurcan) won with Eye Appeal (Michael Delaney & John Markos) second and Stormy Petrel (Kevin O’Shea) third.  

In the Autumn Grant Thornton Short Ocean Provision Pointscore IRC Division 1 Matthew Short’s Shortwave is currently tied with Annette & Robin Hawthorn’s Imagination for first place on 9 points, with Julian Farren-Price’s About Time third – just one point behind on 10 points.

IRC Division 3 Provisional Pointscore has Kevin O’Shea’s Stormy Petrel also tied for first place with John Maclurcan’s Morag Bheag on 8 points. Howard & Susan Piggott’s Brilliant are tied for third with Michael Delaney and John Markos’ Eye Appeal just one point behind on nine points. In PHS Division 3 the top three yachts are Eye Appeal, Stormy Petrel and Morag Bheag.

In PHS Division 1, Imagination holds the lead from About Time and Ray Entwhistle’s Jackpot. – Jennifer Crooks and Peter Campbell.