The enthusiasm for offshore racing engendered in James Connell and Alex Brandon following their IRC and PHS third placings in last season’s Morna Cup looks well founded after their performance in last Saturday’s Lion Island Race.
Their Farr 1020 Zephyr was top placed RSYS boat in the race to Lion island and return, conducted by the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club, but also the first pointscore race for the Squadron’s Offshore Division.
Zephyr finished 6th overall in Division 2 of the Lion Island Race and in the RSYS Offshore Division series won PHS from Andrew Wenham’s Peterson 44 Inch by Winch and Tim Cox’s J35 Sound Track.
Under IRC ratings, Zephyr won from Sound Track and King Billy (Phil & Elesa Bennett)
The race attracted 37 entries from the Squadron, SASC, CYCA, Middle Harbour Yacht Club and Manly Yacht Club.
The fleet enjoyed a fast spinnaker run northwards to round a buoy off Barrenjoey, but had a slower beat back down the coast, with line honours going to CYCA member Stephen Thomas’ Cookson 12 Blackadder with a good time of 4 hours 46 minutes 08 seconds.
On PHS corrected time, first place went to the second boat to finish, Rod Willis’ X43 Great Xpectations, also from the CYCA. Great Xpectations won Division 1 from the MHYC club entry Merlin (John Lehmann) and another CYCA boat Love Byte, skippered by Alison Pickering.
Manly Yacht Club’s Out There, a Cavalier 375 skippered by Greg James, won Division 2 on handicap from the CYCA’s Out of Sight , a Masrm 950 skippered by Matt Wilkinson. Third and best-placed Amateurs boat was Peter McCorquodale’s Adams 10 cruiser Torquil.
Race two for the RSYS Offshore Division will be on Saturday 22 September when the Squadron also conducts the opening race for the CYCA’s Short Ocean Pointscore (SOPS) and Ocean Pointscore (OPS) series off Sydney Heads. - Peter Campbell
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