International Hogs Breath Race Week 2005 - Day 2
by Ian Grant 13 Aug 2005 14:44 BST
ADMIRALS CUP CHAMPION SETS THE PACE
Steven David the 2003 Hog’s Breath Race Week champion claimed an impressive win in the 2005 championship when he steered Wild Joe to a line and handicap double in tricky winds on Pioneer Bay earlier today.
David the proud owner of the 2003 Admirals Cup champion Wild Oats which he and a very talented crew race as Wild Joe dictated the all angle sailing speed in the short windward leeward race which started in 22 knots and finished in a softening 10knot breeze.
They were alert to the demand of applying a safe tactical cover which was required to answer the persistent challenge from their match racing rivals Vanguard (Dick Cawse) and first race winner Loki (Stephen Ainsworth).
Loki’s challenge fell apart when her keel snagged the mark anchor line leaving Wild Joe to demonstrate the advantage of her canting keel technology when she power sailed higher and faster into the moderating wind
She held a firm grip on line honours at the end of the spinnaker run however her crew including sailing master Chris Links and World championship winning sailors Cameron Miles and Darren ‘Twirler’ Jones needed to build on her margin to beat the equally well sailed Vanguard on handicap.
The Wild Joe crew demonstrated a mistake free sail handling technique on the remaining legs of the course to sail clear of any challenges eventually winning line honours by 3 minutes 31 seconds over Vanguard with a fast 57 minute 51 second elapsed race time.
Her unmatched pace also allowed Wild Joe to out sail her 1.467 IRC handicap rating to beat Vanguard 1.398 by 55 seconds while the smaller and lower handicap Victorian sloop Cougar (Alan Whiteley) claimed third place just ahead of the Mooloolaba sloop Ticket Of Leave helmed by Lucas Down.
Wild Joe claimed another comfortable line honours win in the third race to retain a perfect 1-1-1 score while the Victorian Mumm 30 OD Kato from the Sandringham Yacht Club claimed the fastest IRC class handicap honours when she beat club rival Cougar (Alan Whiteley) by 1 minute 16 seconds to compact the overall championship score card.
After three races and three different winners Wild Joe (4-1-4) leads the Beneteau First 44.7 Cougar (8-3-2) and the Mumm 30 Kato 5-9-1.