Today’s two windward/leeward races will decide the Australian Yachting Championships 2020 in Divisions B and C, while 2017 and2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart winner, Matt Allen and his Ichi Ban look set to replicate their wins of the past two years.

Ichi Ban has won four races straight, so is poised to win Division A, while second and third places will be decided on the race track today.

Zen, Gordon Ketelbey’s TP52 (NSW) is sitting in second place on 14 points, with local boat, Alive, Phillip Turner’s RP66 representing Derwent Sailing Squadron (DSS) one point adrift. The Tasmanian boat has been at her best this past season. Having won the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart, she looked set to do so again in 2019, but ultimately finished fourth overall behind three TP52s and then took line honours in the King of the Derwent three days ago.

Division B is being led by a Tassie entry, Greg Prescott’s modified Farr 40 2 Unlimited, representing the Australian Yachting Championships organiser, Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (RYCT) and DSS. 

2 Unlimited has a two-point buffer over the new kid on the block, Keiran Mulcahy’s Soozal. He purchased the King 40 named 2009 World Sailing Boat of the Year late last year, and won Division 2 of Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship in Soozal’s debut in Australia. 

In a good mix of Australian states, Western Australia’s Enterprise, a Farr 40 owned by Anthony Kirke from Fremantle Sailing Club, is in third place. However, the West Australians, who won Division 4 in the 2019 Sydney Hobart, are on equal points with Soozal, so the top three will come down to the wire.

“We beat the other Farr 40 (Enterprise) home by six minutes in the Passage Race. The boat and crew are sailing well,” 2 Unlimited’s tactician, Steve McConaghy, commented. With corrected time applied, 2 Unlimited beat her rival to the win by 8 minutes. 

A Queensland entry has risen to the top of the pack in Division C, but John Warlow and crew on Ocean Crusaders will have to be at their best to win Division C. The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron crew are in form, having finished third in Division 6 of the 2019 Sydney Hobart, but have Drew Latham’s MBD 36, Whistler hot on their tails and sharing the lead points.

Whistler, recently bought by gun Sharpie sailor, Latham, is a great boat in light air on windward/leeward courses. “It suits us,” Nathan, from DSS said yesterday. And light airs are predicted for the River Derwent course area today.

Behind them, similar Sydney 36’s from Tasmania, Philosopher (Shaun Tiedemann, DSS) and Midnight Rambler (Ed Psaltis, RYCT) are still in the picture. Respectively seven and seven and a half points off the lead, just half a point separates the pair which regularly scrap in local events.  

Tasmanian yachts have come out in force for the Championships, many sailing against the best in Australia for the first time. Among them are Brent McKay’s Rad from Kettering Yacht Club (KYC), Alice Grubb’s Rigged from DSS, Ambrose Coad’s The Dog House from KYC and Will Justo’s Groove (DSS).

Thirty two boats are here for the RYCT hosted Championships. Late this afternoon, winners will be announced at the official prize giving. 

Australian Sailing thanks its regatta partners: Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania, and North Sails (Official sailmaker for the 2020 Australian Yachting Championships).

For full results and to follow the Australian Yachting Championships, please visit: http://www.yachtingchamps.org.au

Full results also at RYCT:http://http://results.ryct.org.au/ayc20/ayc20/series.htm?ty=80813

By Di Pearson/Australian Yachting Championships