International Hogs Breath Race Week 2005 - Day 3
by Ian Grant 14 Aug 2005 14:44 BST
Wild Joe whips Hog’s Breath fleet
The Steven David skippered Admirals Cup champion Wild Joe reaffirmed her international ranking with a runaway line honours win in the Hog’s Breath Race Week 30 n/ml race on the Whitsunday Passage today.
Skipper David assisted by a very talented crew including World title winning helmsman Cameron Miles produced unmatched all angle sailing speed in near perfect 10-15 knot variable winds to clinch her fourth consecutive line honours win of the regatta.
Wild Joe utilizing the advantage of her revolutionary canting keel completed the course with a fast elapsed time of 2 hours 44 minutes 19 seconds for an average speed of 10.25 knots to beat Stephen Ainsworth’s new Loki by 21 minutes 45 seconds with another 1 minute 35 seconds to Dick Cawse’s Vanguard.
This convincing result has further enhanced the chance for Steven David to win his second ‘Boss Hog’ boat of the series trophy in the past three years after the 18m ‘Rocket Ship’ left the high class IRC fleet in her wake to fight out the minor line and corrected handicap places.
Wild Joe the former Bob Oatley owned and skippered Wild Oats showed the same light wind sailing form when she won the 2002 Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island to be in a class of her own by answering the challenges from her conventional keel Reichel Pugh designed Azzura Custom yachts built sister ship Loki and the Lyons/Cawse 60 Vanguard.
The line honours was basically decided on the first broad reach across the wind and gradually increased on the leg south to round the Molle Island group.
Wild Joe increased her margin significantly when spinnakers were set for the run home in a moderating wind finally drawing away to secure another line and corrected time double over Loki and Vanguard.
The Wild Joe crew has set a very firm grip on the class championship and Boss Hog boat of the series award with their consistent score 4-1-4-1 (10 pts) to lead the Alan Whitely skippered Victorian Beneteau First 44.7 Cougar 6-2-3-8 (19pts) and Vanguard 3-18-2-2 (25Pts).