Pittwater to Coffs

Monday 5th January 2009
By Damian Devine

Julian Farren -Price's Cookson 12, About Time representing the CYCA has won the coveted IRC series crown for the first time in the 28th Pittwater & Coffs Harbour Offshore Series announced tonight at the Coffs Harbour Yacht Club presided over by Commodores' Russell Murphy (RPAYC) and Craig Chisolm (CHYC).

A shortened series in 2009 with a return to the mid north coast's Coffs Harbour following last year's dramatic events, saw 61 starters in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Ocean race followed by a respectable fleet of 32 yachts in the Solitary Island race sailed today to wrap up the series.

Today's race, the 19.2nm race around South Solitary Island and return was held in  perfect Coffs Harbour conditions with a 10 -12 knot Nor' Easter under cobalt blue skies for the start. The fleet got away to a clean starboard start with them spread evenly down the line. Pretty Woman, Perpetual Mocean and Preddytor getting the best of the starts at the pin end, Le Billet in the middle with About Time toward the boat end of the line, all getting away to flyers.

The start of the Solitary Island Race - photo by Damian Devine

Race Office Ted Anderson said," The breeze was stronger than we expected and all boats cleared the line in a perfect start close to the line, with only a couple of boats back from the line. I think it's going to be a drag race between Perpetual Mocean and Pretty Woman."

Anderson's prediction rang true with Perpetual Mocean, the Marten 49 the first to round South Solitary Island 90 minutes after the start followed by Pretty Woman and Ausmaid. With the fleet behind it was a spectacular, colourful parade as their collective chutes were flown as they turned for home for a downhill drag race to the finish.

First across the line was Perpetual Mocean who crossed the finish line in spectacular fashion under spinnaker in a time of 2hrs 21mins 13secs with Pretty Woman in 2nd and Ausmaid in 3rd tearing her kite as she entered the Harbour. The line honours results were a carbon copy of the long ocean race some 48 hours ago.

Bruce Hogan's Marten 49, Perpetual Mocean on his way to double line honours victory in both the Coffs Race and the Solitary Islands Race - photo by Damian Devine

On corrected time, it was podium honours for RPAYC's Bill Ebsary's Le Billet in conditions that suited his boat today, the Beneteau 44.7 in a time of 2hrs 54mins 48 secs.  It was 2007 revisited with friendly rival Julian Farren-Price's About Time, the Cookson 12 in 2nd 2 minutes behind with Perpetual Mocean in 3rd a further 12 seconds behind About Time.

Bill Ebsary's Le Billet at the start of the Solitary Islands Race which they won on handicap - photo by Damian Devine

In IRC Division 2, it was RPAYC's John Bacon aboard the Sydney 39 Hussy sailing to victory from the two Sydney 38's Geoff Payne's Risk with Steven Proud's Swish from the RSYS in 3rd place.

In PHS, on corrected time it was victory for another RPAYC competitor, Ray Hudson in his X 442 Next Moment in a corrected time of 3hrs 12secs. In 2nd place was Coffs Harbour's Overdrive, a Northshore 380 sports owned and skippered by Andrew Johnson, with the SES Inch by Winch, Peterson 44 under the helm of Boatbuoys David Burt, in 3rd position.

By Division, in PHS Div 1 it was Next Moment 1st, Garry Holder's ID 35 The Real Thing 2nd and Paul D'Oliers Sydney 41 B52, another Coffs Harbour competitor. In PHS Div 2 it was Overdrive 1st, SES Inch by Winch 2nd with Middle Harbour's Tony Bates Viva La Vita, a Northshore 370 in 3rd.

So with the 28th series now over and the prize giving about to begin, everyone is enjoying another great event at the Coffs Harbour Yacht Club. At tonight's official proceedings, the following trophies were awarded, broken down into the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Ocean Race and overall series.

61 yachts contested the 226nm Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Ocean race that started on Friday 2nd January from Broken Bay. It was Bruce Hogan and his stunning Marten 49 Perpetual Mocean who took the prestigious line honours award and took home the prestigious Coffs Harbour Line Honours Bell Trophy.  2nd and 3rd place went to the Farr yachts, Pretty Woman and Ausmaid respectively.

On corrected time, IRC overall saw Julian Farren-Price's Cookson 12 About Time win the coveted handicap honours with Pretty Woman in 2nd and Dark & Stormy Witch in 3rd.

Divisional trophies for the two IRC divisions for the offshore race were awarded as follows; In IRC Division 1, it was About Time 1st, Pretty Woman 2nd and the Farr 40 Tidetech E11even finishing in 3rd.

In IRC Division 2, the top three were the Staples / King  Murray 37 Dark & Stormy Witch from two Sydney 38s Cronulla sailing Club's Preddytor and Swish from the RSYS.

The PHS Division was won by RPAYC's Richard Rowe's Hanse 540, Moksha taking the honours from Balmain's Byzance in 2nd with the Sayer from the LMYC, Frantic in 3rd.

The PHS fleet was also split into two Divisions for the ocean race with the Divisional trophies presented to; PHS  Division 1, Moksha in 1st, Frantic in 2nd with the Dibley 46 from the CYCA, More Witchcraft skippered by John Cameron in 3rd.

In Division 2, the podium had the Swan 40, Byzance, on top from Freya, a Hanse 411 and the Coffs Harbour Yacht Club's Andrew Johnson's Northshore 380 sports Overdrive in 3rd, repeating his position from last year.

Turning to the overall series, the prizes were awarded as follows:

In the IRC Division overall, it was a well deserved victory for Julian Farren-Price and his crew aboard the Cookson 12, About Time who finally gets to take home the series IRC trophy on 3 points from great rival and holder of the coveted series trophy for the past two years running, Bill Ebsary and his Beneteau 44.7 Le Billet. For Bill, his victory in the Solitary Island race helped him climb he series ladder to finish in 3rd place in IRC overall after his 8th place in the Coffs race. He finished with 9 series points but unfortunately not enough to retain his title and win the series trifecta, three years in a row. Splitting these two to finish in 2nd place on 6 points was the Hudson/Murphy/Lockley Pretty Woman, the Farr 45 who have been the bridesmaid all series. These three also framed the podium for Division 1.

About Time, winner of the IRC Coffs race and overall series in 2009 - photo by Christophe Launay

Farren-Price said of his IRC victory, "It's been 10 years since I last won this series in PHS with my Northshore
38 Invincible so it's been a long time between drinks. We finished 2nd two years ago against Le Billet and that's always a bitter pill to swallow. So it's been fantastic to win."

"I've got to give credit to Bill Ebsary for the healthy competition, he made us hungry and pushed us all the way. As always, he kept us honest and he sailed really well today.

"I've got a wonderful group of loyal crew and am extremely pleased to share this with them. They're just a great bunch of people to be with. I'm very, very happy," added Farren-Price.

In Division 2, John Bacon's Hussy, a Sydney 39 had a close one point series victory on 5 points over two Sydney 38s, Peter Edwards Preddytor out of the Cronulla SC and Steven Proud's Swish who both finished on 6 points. Preddytor took 2nd on a countback with a single placed better result in the Pittwater to Coffs Race.

In the PHS Division overall, it was a win for the Coffs Harbour entrant, Overdrive, a Northshore 380 Sports owned and skippered by Andrew Johnson who took out 3rd place in his PHS Division for the Pittwater to Pittwater race last year but has managed to fill his trophy cabinet with a swag of trophies today including the overall series PHS Division with a series score of 9 and also taking out PHS Division 2.  2nd place went to Ray Hudson's X 442 Next Moment with 3rd place awarded to Moksha, winner of the Pittwater to Coffs race PHS Division  .

PHS Division 1 went this way with Next Moment 1st on 8 points, one point ahead of Moksha 2nd winning on another countback from another Coffs Harbour entrant, Paul D'Olier's B52, the  Sydney 41 in 3rd place. PHS Division 2 went to Overdrive, Freya and SES Inch by Winch rounding out the top 3.

Overdrive's Andrew Johnson, winner of the PHS Series had this to say about his campaign, "You bloody beauty, I'm absolutely stoked!  We had a great race and a beautiful sail today particularly with my wife Meegan on board. The crew all worked well together and had a brilliant time. We're extremely pleased to get the result and it's great for Coffs Harbour that a local boat has done so well and got up. It's great that the series is back this year in Coffs Harbour and we can't wait until next year."

Coffs Harbour's Andrew Johnson at the helm in Overdrive on his way to Coffs Harbour and winner of the PHS overall for the series - photo by Damian Devine

The prestigious Navigator's Trophy, awarded to the boat that gets the closest actual finish time to its ETA from the last radio check at Nambucca went to the Sydney 38 Preddytor who managed to get within an impressive 8 seconds of their ETA to their actual finish time.

Russell Murphy, Commodore of The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club summed up his thoughts on the 28th Pittwater & Coffs Harbour Offshore series this way, "It's been a great series, the weathers been fantastic, the people have all had a good time and we've had excellent racing. We look forward to next year to come back to Coffs to continue the tradition of this fabulous event."

The final comment was reserved for Chris Stone, Race Director who once again did a sterling job for the event and said, "I am extremely pleased with the overall outcome of the 2009 series. Happy with the number on the water today and for the Coffs race, Coffs has really turned on the weather with good breeze everyday and you couldn't ask for anything more. We're looking forward to coming back next year."