10:00 PM Fri 26 Feb 2010 GMT
Sailors experienced the best breeze of the week when they started the final passage race of Geographe Bay Race Week this morning. Easterly winds of 20 knots plus swept across the bay, making for an exciting conclusion to what has been a highly successful regatta.
IRC yachts were split into three divisions, with most interest centred on the high profile boats in Division 1. Trevor Taylor's Martens 49 Optimus Prime dominated the line honours results, but her sister ship Charlotte, sailed by John Moore, showed steady improvement throughout to claim its share of over-the-line wins.
The result on IRC ratings though, turned quickly into a one-horse race, with Vern Williamson and David Walling's The Next Factor, helmed by Paul Eldrid and assisted by Kiwi tactician Simon Minoprio, completing the regatta with a perfect score to win her second straight IRC title at Geographe Bay Race Week without having to start in today's final race. The minor placings went to Optimus Prime and Charlotte. Optimus Prime did not race today after damaging her main before the start.
IRC division 2 was hotly contested. A fleet of similar sized and rated boats ensured that every victory was hard earned and the end result reflected the closeness on the water. Greater consistency earned Gary McNally's Grandprix the win with 14.5 points, just ahead of Gary Rodoreda sailing R2D2 with 15.5. Denys Pearce's Bakewell White 36 By & Large, with match racing supremo Torvar Mirsky calling the tactics, finished third with 32 points.
An unfortunate episode in the second of three scheduled windward and return races last Wednesday, when only 6 yachts were able to finish within the time limit, may have influenced the final result, but take nothing away from the performance of the winner, Brad Skeggs' Minds Eye, which won handsomely with 23 points ahead of Michael Finn's S&S34 Constellation (33 points) and David Gilham's Arajilla (34.5).
Sportsboats enjoyed tight racing all week. Despite some debate about their legitimacy with respect to the Sportsboat rules, a trio of Viper 640's added some bite to the class. It's great to see skippers coming into the sportsboat class with a background of national and in some cases international, success behind them.
Kym Nisbet's Melges 24 Bullit, with the national president of the Sportsboat Association in the crew, won the division with a margin of just one point over Tim Reger's Viper Fizz, and Peter Chappell's Rum Jungle another two points back on third. If Geographe Bay Race Week is any indication, then the WA Sportsboat Association is about to become a whole lot stronger.
Team 2011 Batteries Not Included (now how's that for a mouthful of boat name?) skippered by Barry Honey with match racer Keith Swinton aboard as tactician, had a comfortable win in the under 10 metre division, ahead of another Bakewell-White 8, The Fox, sailed by Alan Thomas and the beautifully presented Classic Attitude sailed by Hugh Warner.
Premier Cruising made up the largest fleet of the regatta, with a mix of ocean racers wanting a break from the windward/leeward program facing the IRC fleets, and some well-found genuine cruising yachts. Twenty six yachts slugged it out for the week, with David Clifton's modified Swarbrick 125 proving the quickest of them, but on handicap, Winston Scotney's classic cruiser Corniche took the overall honours, four points clear of Don Brooker's Catalynne which in turn was three points clear of John Wallis' Golden Eagle.
Jib and Main pacesetter Foolish Behaviour failed to make the top three, with the overall win going to Gary Griffiths' Heaven Can Wait, followed by the S&S34 Morning Melody and Jacquie Mac.
Two trimarans headed the multihull fleet. Richard Pocock's Trinity showed good speed all week for a well deserved win ahead of Asteroid, while the big cat Cosmic Gift took third place ahead of another tri Vamos, in a countback.
113 yachts took part in this year's Geographe Bay Race Week, setting a new record. Marina facilities have been expanded and improved to minimize the need for boats to raft up and the Race Week social program kept yachties amused on their 'rest' day.
A great deal of credit must go to the nucleus of hard working volunteers at Geographe Bay Yacht Club. Regatta chair Peter Fleming has enjoyed great support from Ron Jensen and John Jecks in the impeccable organisation of on-water activities. Royal Perth Yacht Club again supported the regatta with its start boat and crew, while YWA Offshore Race Officer Trevor Milton and his offshore start team did a great job in managing eight fleets on two separate courses.
While the emphasis was on the enjoyment of racing in the pristine waters of Geographe Bay, there was also an element of fun bubbling away in the background, and this may well be what keeps this regatta going from strength to strength.
Detailed Results Overall:
IRC Division 1:
1st The Next Factor Paul Eldrid 9
2nd Optimus Prime Trevor Taylor 26
3rd Charlotte John Moore 32
IRC Division 2:
1st Grandprix Gary McNally 14.5
2nd R2D2 Gary Rodoreda 15.5
3rd By & Large Denys Pearce 32
IRC Division 3:
1st Minds Eye Brad Skeggs 20.5
2nd Constellation Mike Finn 33
3rd Arajilla David Gilham 34.5
Sportsboats:
1st Bullit Kym Nisbet 23
2nd Fizz Tim Reger 24
3rd Rum Jungle Peter Chappell 26
Under 10 metre racing:
1st Team 2011 Batteries Not Included - Barry Honey 32
2nd The Fox Alan Thomas 42.5
3rd Classic Attitude Hugh Warner 50
Premier Cruising:
1st Corniche Winston Scotney 18
2nd Catalynne Don Brooker 22
3rd Golden Eagle John Wallis 25
Jib and Main:
1st Heaven Can Wait Gary Griffiths 15
2nd Morning Melody Bruce & Imelda Collins 16
3rd Jacquie Mac Bernie Siddall/Dennis Neil 19
Multihulls:
1st Trinity Richard Pocock 11
2nd Asteroid Robert Hall 13
3rd Cosmic Gift Nigel Chesterfield-Evans 14
Today's Passage Race Results:
IRC Division 1:
1st: Al Fresco Frank Saraceni
2nd Southern Star Ray Lynch
3rd: Jaffa Terry Posma
Fastest: Charlotte John Moore
IRC Division 2:
1st: R2D2 Gary Rodoreda
2nd & fastest Grandprix Gary McNally
3rd: Hitchhiker Peter Briggs
IRC division 3:
1st: Bad Habits Ian Holder
2nd: Constellation Mike Finn
3rd Olfrygt Bryan Thurstan
Fastest: Without Fear Greg Reynolds
Sportsboats:
1st: Fizz Tim Reger
2nd & fastest Bullit Kym Nisbet
3rd: Rum Jungle Peter Chappell
Under 10 Metre Racing:
1st: The Black Smoke Kevin Schroeder
2nd: Beers Craig Francis/Paul Simpson
3rd: Farrlap Ron Hewer
Fastest Sky Rider Dave Watts
Premier Cruising:
1st: Eagle Rock Gordon McWilliam/Tim Stewart
2nd Redline Mark Burton
3rd: Corniche Winston Scotney
Fastest: Steel de Breeze Brian de Vries
Jib & Main:
1st & fastest Foolish Behaviour Trevor Tennant/James Pearson
2nd Heaven Can Wait Gary Griffiths
3rd Jacquie Mac Bernie Siddall/Dennis Neil
Multihulls:
1st: Forte Mark Crier
2nd: Cosmic gift Nigel Chesterfield-Evans
3rd & fastest Trinity Richard Pocock
by Bernie Kaaks
|
Manly, QLD
