Advantedge (Andrew Jones) may have taken line honours with a new Two Capes Race record of 11hrs 8mins, but it was a clean podium sweep by the smaller teams for the overall IRC win, ORC and PHS handicaps after a long game of snakes and ladders in the Derwent Sailing Squadron’s short ocean race.
Whistler (Drew Latham) clenched first place overall in the IRC results after a nailbiter of a beat up the River Derwent, with Zephyr (Ian Johnston) placing 2nd, and Arunga (Andrew Parker) beating Kracken 42S (Mark Bayles) by only 1 minute for third.
Again in the ORC results it was IYKYK (Steve Chau) winning against Whistler (2nd) and Zephyr Insurance (3rd). IYKYK also winning the PHS, with Wings Three (Peter Haros) and Arunga rounding out the podium.
Kraken 42S might have been the favourite going in, but it was Jazz Player (Brent McKay) who set the pace off the start line. Salient (Ian Snape) took the lead rounding the Iron Pot with Filepro (Tim Gadsby) and Advantedge making gains on the front row up to the first mark. Kraken 42S was able to get back in the game when her competition sat in a light win just off Cape Raoul, and from then on it was a tussle of lead changes, Advantedge methodically pulling away, and Jazz player nudging ahead of the rest on the final leg for 2nd over the line.
Kraken 42S however, managed to finish ahead of the 40-ft competition in both the IRC and ORC with Jazz Player, Advantedge (ORC only) Filepro and Salient all behind.
For a 2nd year in a row the weather conditions provided the sailors with champagne sailing for the 82 nautical mile novel offshore race.
Words: Liz Loughridge
Photo: Gill Dayton.
