North Sydney Cup dead-heat

by John Sturrock on 11 Feb 2001 In a sensational finish to today’s North Sydney Cup, former Hobart winner “Ninety Seven” caught line honours
favourite and defending titleholder “Marchioness” on the line to record a highly unusual dead-heat for line honours.

Race officials looked disbelievingly as the two highly competitive yachts drove to the line so close together they
could not be separated.

Under overcast skies and with fluctuating winds, “Marchioness” seemed to hold the upper hand all day and led by five
minutes at Fort Denison on the way to the finish off Blue’s Point.

She was slowed in a hole under the bridge however, allowing her smaller rival to track along the northern shore to
almost steal a major victory.

A highly competitive field contested the event which was won on corrected time by “HP Farr Lap”, the Farr 37
skippered by Lex Wilson from CYCA over “Adamant” from Greenwich Flying Squadron and “Ninety Seven” from the
Blues Point Yacht Club.

Division Two was taken out by “Half Hour” from CYCA and Division Three by “Clueless” from the Sydney Amateur
Yacht Club.

The prestigious Club Challenge was won by CYCA from Greenwich and Blues Point.

Once again the day was pronounced a huge success and North Sydney Deputy Mayor Penny Scardifield presented
the range of fine Waterford trophies to the winners.

North Sydney Cup is an annual event operated by the Sydney Events Management Company with support from the
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and the Blues Point Yacht Club.