13th December 2008
By Peter Campbell
Veteran Olympic yachtsman Carl Ryves notched up his eighth win of the RSYS Spring Series for the International Dragon class on Saturday in an impressive lead-up to the Prince Philip Cup on the Harbour in early January.
His eighth win of the Spring Series in Sidewinder came in the first race of Saturday’s Mini Regatta, and he went on to win the next two regatta races on a day where the no’-wester ranged from 0 to gust of 30 knots.
The Dragon fleet was halved by the final heat, while the race officer abandoned of the third heat for the International Yngling class because of the strong and gusty westerly winds.
Ryves made a return to the Dragon fleet this season, with his sights set on the Prince Philip Cup Australasian championship, and on Saturday showed his skills in heavy weather sailing to win the Mini Regatta.
The Prince Philip Cup will be conducted by the Squadron from 4-10 January 2009, with a fleet of 25 boats expected, including entries from Russia, New Zealand and the USA, as well as from Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Sidewinder won the Mini Regatta from Tatsu, skippered by Wolf Breit, who also sailed well for a 2-5-2 scorecard.
Other impressive performances in Saturday’s Mini Regatta came from 81-year-old Gordon Ingate, the defending Prince Philip Cup winner, who steered Whim to a 4th and a 2nd, and Mat Whitnall who returned to the Dragon class in Taranui with two 3rds in the two races they both contested.
Missing from the fleet, however, was Martin Burke’s State champion Riga.
The Mini Regatta for the International Ynglings saw only four starters, with Pourquoi (Hamish Jarrett) winning the first race, Kara (Gary Wogas) the second, with race three abandoned.
Saturday’s races for the mixed divisions were for some of the Squadron’s fine perpetual trophies, with ISuper (Peter Campbell) winning the Norn Cup (Division 1), Allegro (John Taylor) the Milson Silver Tray (Division 2), Mingara II (Philip Crane) the Xarifa Teapot) ((Division 3) and Kerstin II (John Bowman/Ken Chase/Julian Goldie) the Commodore Knox Jubilee Tray (Division 4).
With one race to sail to complete the Spring Series, only a handful of points separate the top two boats in all divisions, after three discard races.
In Division 1, Sydney, Charles Curran’s Sydney 60 on 33 points holds a 5 point margin from Willyama (R Barron/T Sanlorenzo/T Stanley) from 38 points, with two boats on 40 points, Jackie Clare (Geoff & Debbie Davidson) and Hell Razor (Ian MacDiarmid).
In Division 2, Gondwana (Peter Edwards) on 17 points, is still four points clear of Arcturus II (Peter Davenport) on 21 points, with Campeador (Jonathan & Mary Threlfall) on 26 points.
In Division 3, only three points separate the top three boats with Senta (Terry Clarke) on 28 points and Tingari (John Jeremy) and Bloodhound (A Rodger & M Shaw) oth on 31 points.
An impressive heavy weather win on Saturday by Kerstin II (John Bowman/Ken Chase/Julian Goldie) has given her a net 19 points, from Brother Hood (Tony Craven & Jack Rigg) on 22 points and Hornblower (Peter Campbell) on 23 points.
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