CYCA member Geoff Ross in Yendys, his Reichel/Pugh 55, has taken the overall pointscore lead in the IRC Racing division at the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week with an impressive win in today’s 21 nautical mile race around the picturesque islands of the Whitsundays.
This was race five of Race Week, with crews being treated to a spectacle of two mother humpback whales, one already accompanied by its calf and the other giving birth as the yachts passed by.
With the sun shining onto sparkling turquoise water, Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats X added another win to its unbroken string of line honours victories, but this time they were seriously challenged by Steven David’s Wild Joe, just one minute separating the duelling pair in the closest finish of the regatta.
On corrected times, Wild Oats X placed 11th, with Yendys, with Sean Kirkjian on the helm, winning the race from two other CYCA boats, Geoff Morgan and Andrew Banks’ Davidson 60, Your’e Hired and Bob Steel’s TP52, Quest.
With two days of racing to go, Yendys leads IRC Racing with 16 points, the result of a consistent series of 6-2-3-4-1, while Wild Oats X is now on 19 points from placings of 1-3-1-3-11. Hong Kong yacht Beau Geste (Karl Kwok) is third overall on 21.5 points from placings of 4-4-4-5.5-4.
Ray Roberts’ Cookson 50 Quantum Racing, winner of the second and fourth races, placed 9th today and is now fourth overall on 24 points.
In today’s race, Wild Joe, always a threat in light air sailing and with America’s Cup sailor Adam Beashel on the helm, caught up to the larger Wild Oats X on the first upwind leg, then both were given a sailing lesson.
Geoff Morgan and Andrew Banks’ You’re Hired went close in under Pentecost Island where the Davidson 60 was either going to park or lift. It was a risk that paid off for You’re Hired, and paid again when Wild Oats X and Wild Joe fell into a windless hole.
Suddenly Wild Oats X found herself not only behind one, but two boats – ironically both of them were previously owned by Bob Oatley.
Wild Oats X reclaimed the lead on the long downwind run around Pine Island to Dent Island and finished first over the line, but suffered her worst corrected time result of the regatta so far.
Four CYCA boats are fighting for victory in the Premier IRC division after today’s race four of their series. Today’s race went to the New Zealand yacht Carrera, a Marten 49, but the overall leader is Laurence Freedman’s McConaghy-designed Expresso Forte on 15 points from placings of 4-5-1-5.
A close second overall on 16 points is Ross Wilson’s Eagle Rock, a Beneteau 47.7, with a scorecard of 1-2-3-10, while third overall on 18 points is Colin & Gladys Woods’ Pretty Fly II, also a 47.7, from placings of 3-1-2-12. Paul Clitheroe’s Sydney 47, Balance is a close fourth on 20 points, with a scorecard of 6-4-4-6 – Lisa Ratcliff/Peter Campbell
