| Australia. Hamilton Island Race Week: Second line honours for Wharington’s Skandia |
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; "Skandia and Wild Oats in close company during the Whitehaven Race: © Jack Atley")
| Thursday, 24 August 2006 | |
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Lisa Ratcliff: The 30m maxi Skandia today claimed its second line honours win of the series, a better result for skipper Grant Wharington who has suffered a number of mishaps and been shown up in the short course racing over the last two days by Mark Richards at the helm of Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats. The day began when the Roulettes, the Royal Australian Air Force’s aerial acrobatic team, buzzed Hamilton Island and the masts of the almost 160 yachts contesting Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week. The IRC Big Boat, IRC Racing, Sydney 38s and Performance Handicap divisions headed out for the 10.00am start and were again faced with an ocean that resembled a mill pond. But the signs were positive promised the locals, mist in the air and clouds building up from the north east. After a change of course and more than an hour’s postponement, during which time crews took the opportunity to again enjoy some waterskiing and swimming, the race committee let the fleet go in the light 5 knot sea breeze which made for picture perfect sailing. Due to the conditions, the fleet was finished offshore rather than at the traditional finish line off Whitehaven Beach before they joined their cruising counterparts for the XXXX Whitehaven Beach Party. Skandia and Wild Oats were just eight seconds apart at the first top mark rounding but by the finish of the Whitehaven Race, Skandia had extended that margin to a handy one minute lead as they crossed ahead of Wild Oats. Next boat was Steven David’s Wild Joe which claimed her fourth handicap win today and can almost taste an IRC Big Boat overall handicap win, and fourth was Loki, this result leaving her second in the pointscore. Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki again triumphed over Dick Cawse’s Vanguard today, despite Vanguard leading her 60 foot adversary around the top mark. In the IRC Racing division, Michael Hiatt’s Living Doll and Graeme Troon’s XLR8 jumped the gun at the start, both having to sail back around the pin and restart. This was a heavy penalty to carry for boat boats, finishing tenth and eleventh on handicap respectively, their worst results so far. After a slow start to the regatta, Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing from Sydney has found its groove and today they scored their third handicap win to move into first place in the IRC Racing division ahead of Hardys Secret Mens Business and XLR8. Steve Kulmar scored his fourth win in the Sydney 38 division today with Shining Sea and is looking unbeatable with two races to be sailed. Steven Proud’s Swish finished in second place today and David Calvert Syndicate’s Rush placed third over the line. Despite a fifth today, Transfusion is still second in the Sydney 38 pointscore and Swish is third. The Roulettes will be back this afternoon for another fly over and tomorrow night one of the social highlights of the week, the Pirate Ship Mardi Gras and Street Parade will wind its way along Front Street from 7.30pm. To celebrate the closing stages of Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week, boat crews and locals will dress up in fancy dress and ride their floats past the restaurants and those who line the street to watch the parade. For all information: www.hiyc.org.au |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 August 2006 ) |
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