1:48 PM Sun 18 Apr 2010 GMT
Nigel Stoke's Fidelis from Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron has won the Great Veteran's Race double, taking line and handicap honours and collecting the Windward Trophy for a fourth time. This classic Knud Reimers designed 75sqm yacht, built in 1964 and lovingly maintained by Stoke, sailed today's race with an international crew.
Fidelis took line honours and set a new Sydney Hobart Yacht race record of four days, eight hours and 39 minutes, which in 1966 set a record. That record stood for the next nine years. Stoke has taken the yacht to Hobart several times since.
Mr Christian, a Swanson 36ft, owned by David Salter representing Sydney Amateur Sailing Club placed second with Maris (CYCA) helmed by Tiare Tomaszewski, third. Mr Christian was originally the first ocean racing yacht owned by the late Peter Kurts and has been lovingly restored by Salter, while Tomaszewki's yacht was originally owned by her grandfather, the late Jack Earl.
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Pam Messenge helming Icom Utopia - Great Veterans Race - ACE Marine Photography ©
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The Great Veterans Race and Ladies Day Race mark the commencement of the Audi Winter Series 2010, conducted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Due to an incident on Sydney Harbour last evening, an amendment to the Sailing Instructions was issued detailing a change of course.
All yachts started in Rushcutters Bay in a very light south-easterly breeze. The Ladies Day spinnaker division headed to Manly West and Manly East and finished in Rushcutters Bay. The Great Veterans and non-spinnaker Ladies Day divisions headed to the Cannae Point mark and finished in Rushcutters Bay.
Sky Reidy helmed Colin Wilson's Never a Dull Moment (CYCA) to victory in Spinnaker Division A and was in her element in the beautiful conditions. "We couldn't have asked for a better start to the season," Reidy said this afternoon. "We didn't see much more than 10 knots all day and the breeze flicked around - at one point we did a 360 chasing the breeze."
SailorsWithdisAbilities (CYCA), helmed by Bridget Canham, placed second, while Dinah Eagle helmed Nocturne (RSYS) to third place.
Those boats with high handicaps that started the race later benefitted from a building breeze. For Lindsay Golenia on Stuart Birdsall's Flying Tiger Sabre (CYCA), winner of Spinnaker Division B, it was perfect conditions for the Flying Tigers. "The conditions really suited us today - great crew work and our vicious handicap actually helped us out, as we were able to see the breeze build and work out our tactics," Golenia said.
Claire Strange finished second on Nathan Smith's Young 780, Froth & Bubble (CYCA) with Chantelle Hodgson helming Michael Ewings' Pacific 36 Kelly2N, from Balmain Sailing Club, third.
Vivienne MacMahon won non-spinnaker Division A for the second year in a row aboard George Girdis' Jarkan 12.5 Marloo (CYCA). "What a difference there was between the two races - last year we saw wind speeds of up to 39 knots and this year its was just 3 knots," MacMahon said after the prizegiving this afternoon.
"Our tactics were to keep to the eastern side of Shark Island and sail a fast first leg. Using our secret weapon - our 31 year old spinnaker that has done an Admiral's Cup - we were able to get through the fleet quickly. We didn't get headed and were able to keep up our boat speed and came away with the win," said MacMahon.
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Pam Messenge helming Icom Utopia - Great Veterans Race - ACE Marine Photography ©
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Pam Messenger sailed John Messenger's Sydney 38 ICOM Utopia (CYCA) to a second in Non-Spinnaker Division A with Mary King sailing Tim Casey's Nelson Marek 46 St Hilliers Quest (CYCA) to third.
Barbara Hamilton placed first in Non-Spinnaker Division B aboard Balmain Tiger (Balmain Sailing Club), and was also the lucky winner of the Audi A5 3.0TDI Sportback for the week. Sabrina Snow placed second on George Snow's Beneteau Oceanis 50 Argo Blue (CYCA) with Jean Cane placing third on Erica J (CYCA), owned by Les Goodridge.
Winners of each of the Ladies Day divisions will have their names engraved on the Jill McLay Trophy. Jill was a long-term employee of the CYCA and died from cancer. She is still missed by many members of the Club who have fond memories of her.
The Audi Winter Series pointscore starts next Sunday 25 April (ANZAC Day), with the pointscore only open to those yachts which block enter. Yachts must enter by Race four and have raced in at least three races by the completion of Race six to be included in the Pointscore.
As a mark of respect for our fallen diggers, Race one of the Pointscore will commence an hour and half later than usual, with the first warning signal at 1255hrs. The remaining races of the Audi Winter Series will commence at 1130 hours, with the warning signal for the Sydney 38 division at 1120hrs.
For Great Veterans Race and Ladies Day results go to:
www.cyca.com.au
by Jennifer Crooks
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
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