| Australia. Sydney to Mooloolaba Race: Royals Living Doll adds major cup to bluewater trophy cupboard |
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| Tuesday, 08 August 2006 | |
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Mike Sabey: Despite struggling to finish the inaugural 945 nautical mile Sydney to Mackay yacht race due to light breezes, Michael Hiatt’s Cookson 50 Living Doll from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (pictured above finishing) managed to keep ahead the fleet to score its first major east coast offshore trophy. Living Doll had earlier competed in the annual 468 nautical miles Sydney to Mooloolaba race and continued on through the finish line north for another 477 miles to Mackay, to take out first place in the premier IRC division handicap honours. But it had to nervously wait until the last boat finished on Monday 7th August before being declared the Sydney to Mackay race winner. Royals Commodore Jeffery Gray says, “Our club is simply delighted with Living Doll’s fine win and we extend our congratulations to its skipper and crew.” Living Doll’s owner-skipper Michael Hiatt said afterwards, “On the fifth day towards the end of the race we drifted for six agonising hours in zero wind, before a southwester came through. This pushed us to the finish line assisting us to come home in second place behind the 30m Mornington super maxi Skandia Wild Thing. ”I’m really happy with our result and delighted my crew performed so well before we continue up the coast for the Hamilton Island Race week regatta later this month. “North of Mooloolaba we enjoyed moderate south east trade winds which gave us a wonderful 36 hour spinnaker run up the coast,” Michael Hiatt added. “Then when we were becalmed as the sun rose we watched enthralled as a giant whale gracefully swam close by to our boat putting on a spectacular display in crystal clear water.” The Sydney to Mackay victory gives Living Doll’s trophy cupboard an impressive boost after the new state of the art offshore racer arrived on Port Phillip late last year. It has since won major handicap honours in the Melbourne-King Island and Apollo Bay races as well as taking the handicap crown earlier this year in the Melbourne to Geelong dash. Royal’s members on board Living Doll in addition to Michael Hiatt included Gillian Kerns and Paul Fanders who helped celebrate the boat’s fine win in Mackay afterwards with their fellow 13 crew members. At a Glance What: 945 nautical mile Sydney to Mackay Race (inaugural) |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 August 2006 ) |
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