RECORD FLEET FOR ORD MINNETT REGATTA

by Peter Campbell on 24 Nov 2000 The growth of one-design offshore racing fleets in Sydney has seen a record
entry of more than 75 yachts for the 2000 Ord Minnett Short Ocean Racing
Championship to be sailed off Sydney Heads next weekend, December 2 and 3.

Conducted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club, the four-race regatta will set the
pace for a month of champagne yacht racing out of Sydney and Pittwater, with
many of the competitors preparing for the long ocean races to Hobart and
Coffs Harbour as well as the Telstra Cup.

The line-up includes entries from New South Wales, Victoria and South
Australia in what promises to be an outstanding two days of close racing in
yachts ranging from 30-footers to 62-footers.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has given its support to the regatta by
conducting separate course racing for the Farr 40 One Design class, which
has rewarded organizers with 15 entries of these popular 'owner-driver'
yachts.

Heading the Farr 40 OD division entries is current world champion,
Melbourne businessman John Calvert-Jones, helming his Australian-built
Southern Star 2, while other boats are coming from South Australia and
Victoria to compete.

In addition to the 15 Farr 40 One Design yachts, MHYC has received entries
from seven Sydney 38s, another expanding one-design class, which also will
be given a separate start.

The growing IRC (International Racing Club) handicap division has attracted
14 boats, the IMS (International Measurement System) division 12 boats, PHS
(Performance Handicap System) 12 boats, and the JOG (Junior Offshore Group)
division a further 15 boats.

The IMS division includes the powerful 62-footer Bumblebee 5, which Iain
Murray will skipper for John Kahlbetzer and last year's Telstra Sydney to
Hobart winner, Geoff Ross' Farr 49, Yendys. which will be skippered by
Tasmanian Julian Freeman.

Also entered are past Sydney to Hobart winners Ausmaid (Kevan Pearce, SA)
and Terra Firma (Stewart Niemann/Peter Bartels, Vic).

The 1999 Ord Minnett IMS winner, the Sydney 40 Loco, is back racing as
Davnet, skippered by Jamie McPhael, while the new Loco, a Farr 52 One
Design, has been entered by David Coe.

The two most successful boats in the recent Gosford to Lord Howe Island
Race, Warwick Sherman's Cookson 12, Occasional Coarse Language, and MHYC
Commodore Rob Reynolds' powerful J44 Phoenix, will clash in the IRC
division.

Occasional Coarse Language won the IMS division of the Lord Howe Island Race
while J44 Phoenix took out the PHS division.

Further information: Peter Campbell - 0419 385 028