Ord Minnett first day summary

by Peter Campbell on 2 Dec 2000 Yendys, the overall winner of last year’s Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, made a winning return to local offshore racing today when she took out race one of the IMS division of Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s prestigious Ord Minnett Regatta being sailed off Sydney this weekend.

Skippered by her Hong Kong-based owner Geoff Ross, Yendys won on corrected time from two strong rivals for the 2000 Sydney to Hobart in what is her first local regatta since returning from representing Australia at the Kenwood Cup in Hawaii.

The Farr 47 beat the MBD 62, Bumblebee 5, skippered by designer Iain Murray for owner John Kahlbetzer, by 29 seconds on corrected time, with third place going to the former American yacht Loco, a Farr 52, now owned by Sydney yachtsman David Coe.

Bumblebee 5 led the fleet around the six nautical mile windward/leeward course, followed closely by Loco, but neither could hold their time against the well sailed Yendys in the 16-18 knot southerly breeze.

However, in race two, over 15 nautical miles, Bumblebee 5, sailed away from the fleet in the lighter 12-14 knot breeze to easily take IMS corrected time honours by about two minutes, second going to SAP Ausmaid which beat Yendys by just 14 seconds. Loco did not start in the second race.

In an aggressive start to the first race, several yachts were involved in minor collisions, with Aspect, steered by Olympian Nevillew Wittey flying a protest and the strongly favoured SAP Ausmaid, steered by Roger Hickman for Adelaide owner Kevan Pearce, making a poor start after being caught up in the crush of boats on the line.

Later, at the windward mark for the second time, radio identity Stan Zemanek saw his 50-footer, 2GB Titan Ford, suffer structural bow damage when it crashed into the stern of a smaller boat which had been by a steep wave.

The damage forced 2GB Titan Ford to retire from the race and it will not race Sunday.

The maxi yacht Marchioness also was forced to retire after race one when a crew member was injured, although not seriously.

One owner/skipper missed the day’s racing altogether because of sudden illness.

A sudden kidney stone attack on the way to Middle Harbour Yacht Club today prevented owner Warren Johns from being aboard his yacht Heaven Can Wait when it won the first race of the IRC handicap division.

“I was too sick to go out, with Jamie Wilmot skippering the boat to a fine win,” a recovered Johns said at the club this afternoon.

“I seem destined to miss our major wins; up at Hamilton Island Race Week I swallowed a fish bone and couldn’t race.”

Heaven Can Wait won the IRC division first race from the new Swan 46, Loki, skippered by Stephen Ainsworth, and Salt Shaker (Peter Franki), but Loki reversed the results in race two, Salt Shaker again third.

In the PHS division, Pittwater yachtsman Gavin Ward scored a convincing race one victory while another Pittwater boat, Blow Fly (Barry Moore) won the Sydney 38 One Design class by just 23 seconds from The Business (Vaughan Stibbard).

Again the results were reversed in the longer race two, The Business winning the Sydney 38s from Blow Fly, third in both races going to Wadadli (Gordon Ketelbey). Results for race two in the PHS division are not yet available.

The Super 30 produced some great racing, with Rod Skellett, a senior executive of regatta sponsors Ord Minnett, sailed away to victory in race one with his Bull 9000, Wild Bull. In the second race, the Queensland yacht Addiction, Stewart Lewis’ Mumm 30, beat Wild Bull around the track by just 11 seconds, but Wild Bull again won on corrected time.

One of the smallest yachts entered for this year’s Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race, Chris Bowling’s 30-footer Urban Guerrilla, took fastest time in both races of the JOG division, also winning race two on corrected time.

Young Lion (Zachary Stollznow) won race one on corrected time from Urban Guerrilla and Marigot Bay (A.Clark/G.Davan) while in race two Urban Guerilla took handicap honours from Marigot Bay and Philip Mellor’s Jacobina. Young Lion did not finish the race.

A fleet of 87 yachts is contesting the two day regatta conducted by Middle Harbour Regatta with good sailing weather forecast for the final two races on Sunday.




Further information:

Peter Campbell – 0419 385 028 or email – peter_campbell@bigpond.com