CYCA Short Ocean Pointscore

by Peter Campbell on 26 Feb 2001 With just two races to sail, only one point separates the two top yachts in IMS Division 1 of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Short Ocean Pointscore for the 2000-2001 season.

True North, the Beneteau 40.7 owned by Howard and Susan Piggott, gained the one point advantage in last Saturday's SOPS race off Sydney Heads from Davnet, the Sydney 40 owned by Jamie McPhail and Phil Eiszele.

Only 28 seconds separated the two 40-footers on corrected time as they placed second and third to 2000 Telstra Cup winner, Nips 'n' Tux, the IMX 40 skippered by Howard de Torres.

After Saturday's race True North has 480 points on the board after one discard, while Davnet is on 479 points. They are well clear of third placed Blue Chip, another Beneteau 40.7 owned by Karl Stechman and Peter Mason, which is on 449 points.

A second place on Saturday has given the 1998 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race winner, AFR Midnight Rambler, a firm grip on the IMS Division 2 SOPS pointscore for owners Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas.

The Hick 35 has 487 points on the board, seven points clear of CYCA Commodore Hans Sommer's Cavalier 350 SL, Sommerbreeze, which fought back to win Saturday's third last race of the SOPS program and move to 480 points..

Pippin, Anne and David Taylor's Farr 37, dropped from second to third in the IMS Division 2 scoreboard after being called OCS (premature starter) in Saturday's race.

AFR Midnight Rambler has also moved to the top of the leaderboard in IRC Division 2 as a result of Pippin's OCS in Saturday's race. AFR Midnight Rambler has a clear lead in SOPS with 489 points, followed by Philip Mellor's Jacobina on 471, with Pippin dropping to third on 441 points.

While line honours winner Shockwave (Neville Crichton) won IRC Division 1, she was only a casual entry, with Julian Farren-Price strengthening his grip on SOPS following a fourth place in his Cookson 39, About Time.

About Time heads IRC Division 1 with 479 points, followed by Blue Chip on 454 and Kevan Pearce's Ausmaid on 412 points, although the Farr 47 is unlikely to contest the final two SOPS races as ithe boat is currently in South Australia for the Quin's Bluewater Classic ocean race from Adelaide to Port Lincoln.

About Time also has a commanding points lead in PHS Division 1, finishing second to the casual entry Zurich (Nigel Holman) in Saturday's race and now has 457 points on the board with Davnet second on 439 points, just one point ahead of True North on 438 points.

The pointscore is closer in PHS Division 2, with Don Young's Foreshore on 468 points, AFR Midnight Rambler on 461 and Pippin on 454.

In PHS Division 3, Kevin Pudney's Dire Straights recorded its seventh win on corrected time and now has 500 points on the SOPS leader board, well clear of Sandpiper (David Bates) on 488 and Katinka (Des O'Connell) on 480 points.


Further information: Peter Campbell - 0419 385 028 or email - peter_campbell@bigpond.com