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Audi Series at Skandia Geelong Week - Day 2

by Di Pearson 25 Jan 2008 07:19 GMT

Disqualification in Audi Series has no effect on Quest

A bullet in Race 3 and a second in Race 4 today to take the lead of the Audi Series at Skandia Geelong Week has eased the pain of Bob Steel and his Quest crew who were disqualified from Race 2 late last evening following two separate incidents.

Steel was thrilled with his win on the two lap windward/leeward course in Race 3, as breezes were light in the 7-10 knot range, conditions which did not appear to suit his TP52 yesterday. Race 4, the winds increased, with a top of around 14 knots.

“We took line honours in both races in Skandia’s absence,” Steel said this afternoon.

“The wind strengthened slightly this afternoon, which for good for us – nice steady breezes. The crew did a very good job – no mistakes, and we finished 1,2, so that’s all good,” said Sydneysider Steel who is taking in his first Skandia Geelong Week following years of ocean racing.

Steel has used his DSQ as a race drop, which has moved him to the top of the board. The protests involved three Victorian yachts; the first involving the Farr 52 Georgia (Graeme Ainley), the other with Flirt, Chris Dare’s new Corby 49 and Alan Saunders’ Ninety Seven, a Farr 47.

Flirt was also involved in another protest in Race 1 with Richard Hudson’s Pretty Woman (NSW), but Flirt came out the wrong end of that one, disqualified. Not even crew member Andrew Plympton, the Yachting Australia president, could change that outcome!

Alan Whiteley’s Cougar, which held a marginal lead yesterday, has dropped to second place following ninth and fourth placings today, dropping the ninth to be placed four points behind Quest.

The third TP52, Wot Yot (Graeme Wood, NSW) is third overall on equal points with Cougar, following a pair of threes today. “We had a bad start in Race 3, we got buried in the back rows, but on the reverse side, we had a great day running downwind, we were very fast,” said sailing master and helmsman Mike Green.

“We don’t have the stiffness and righting moment of the more modern TPs, so we have to sail higher and slower.

“Our crew is doing a great job – we have some regulars but the rest were thrown together at the last moment. We’ve got three really good female sailors aboard; Gen White trimming spinnaker, Amanda Scrivenor (up and coming match racer) on the pumps and Tanya Ward in the pit – they’re doing a magnificent job,” Green said.

Karl Kwok’s Reichel/Pugh 45 Beau Geste is sitting in fourth place overall, two points away from third place. Kwok has re-engaged the services of some America’s Cup sailors including Mark ‘Squark’ Bradford, Gavin Brady and Jamie Gale, in his efforts to win at his first Skandia Geelong Week.

“We’re pretty happy with our performance here,” said helmsman Bradford. “We’re getting squashed between the bigger yachts, so it’s hard to get out and away from them, but we’re enjoying ourselves,” he said.

Michael Hiatt’s Living Doll from the host club, the Royals, won Race 4 to round out the top five.

Skandia, Grant Wharington’s super maxi, the line honours winners of both races yesterday, did not race today after Wharington discovered a broken D2 fitting in the rig this morning.

Skandia should be back on the water tomorrow, an understandably disappointed Wharington said after only getting his boat back in the water two days prior to the Series following repairs after the Rolex Sydney Hobart race.

In Divisions 2 and 3 sailed on a separate course, the racing was extremely close, putting skippers a little on edge as they worried about the crew getting it all right quickly in the lightish airs, just to stay in close contact with the fleet.

Patrice 3, with owner Tony Kirby (NSW) at the helm, got off the start well in Race 1 with Dick Fidock’s As Good As It Gets from South Australia, Philosopher’s Club (Peter Sorensen, NSW) and the ever there Veloce, Phil Simpfendorfer’s Elliott 11 from Sandringham.

Patrice 3 rounded the top mark first, leaving the rest to trail her and pretty much had the line honours wrapped up. Some others, which should have been more competitive, found themselves at the back of the fleet, suffering from sloppy crew work – a big night for some last night, perhaps!

At the end of the day, it was skiffie champion Sorensen’s Philosophers Club which has hit the top of the scoreboard following two straight victories on their windward/leeward courses to take a two point lead over yesterday’s leader As Good As It Gets (Dick Fidock, SA).

“We were well up all day,” Sorensen said this afternoon. “We were much further ahead than we should have been – but you can’t knock it, can you? We came second at the Rolex Trophy series in December and hope to be at the top of the board here at the end. We have a good rating and we’re going fast,” he said.

It was a spectacular day on the Williamstown race course off host venue Royal. A lovely 7-10 knot breeze on flat waters under blue sunny skies meant those imbibing in Race 1 could enjoy the sailing aspect without having to give 100 percent concentration to their particular jobs.

In Division 3, Mike & Mark Welsh’s Alien continues to lead, with Palandri Mind’s Eye (Bradley Skeggs) moving into second place and Leeto (Bruce McCraken) is third.

Racing continues tomorrow with the 34.3 nautical mile Passage Race from Williamstown to Geelong starting from 9.25am.

For full results and all information, go to the official site at www.geelongweek.com

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