Bird Island Race: URM Group notches up its third Blue Water victory, Andoo Comanche dominates once more
by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 12 Nov 01:46 EST
2023 Bird Island Race © Ashley Taylor Dart
In Saturday’s 83 nautical mile 2023 Bird Island Race, the fourth of six races which comprise the 2023/24 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, rivals relished beneficial crusing situations and a good looking spring day for the dash to the Central Coast and again.
After a clear begin off Point Piper at 1000hrs, 33 boats raced out Sydney Harbour to face a building NE for the upwind leg of the race to Bird Island, 3nm NE of Norah Head. The journey again home in 15-20kts with stronger gusts was a fast one for the entrance runners.
Anthony Johnston’s Reichel Pugh Maxi 72 URM Group backed up her recent spectacular type by taking Overall victory – following wins within the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race and Flinders Islet Race.
She was second throughout the road in Watsons Bay after Andoo Comanche, forward of David Gotze’s Reichel Pugh 63 No Limit, Sebastian Bohm’s TP52 Smuggler, and Peter Wrigley and Andrew Kearnan’s TP52 Koa.
Smuggler was 2nd IRC Overall with No Limit inserting third.
John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr and the crew of Andoo Comanche as soon as once more took Line Honours in a time of 6 hours, quarter-hour, 51 seconds – almost an hour outdoors the blistering document set by URM Group again in 2021.
The 100-foot VPLP/Verdier 100 maxi averaged 13.4 kts over the journey, ending simply after 1615hrs later that afternoon. She was 53 minutes forward of URM Group.
John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr stated afterwards: “The situations have been terrific and it was a really pleasurable sail. Everything however the kitchen sink was thrown at us mechanically with gremlins in our hydro and digital techniques. We misplaced about half-hour on the work as much as Bird Island however the workforce did a unbelievable job to get us going once more and in a position to end the race. Bring on Cabbage Tree.”
David Henry, winner of the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Two-Handed division again in August confirmed that the Sydney 36 Philosopher that he races with Stephen Prince is a ship to be reckoned with in all situations. The pair have been twenty first throughout the road and took out each the Two-Handed IRC and PHS divisions, ending in a time of 14 hours 26 minutes, 23 seconds.
Divisional Results:
IRC Overall
1st – URM Group
2nd – Smuggler
third – No Limit
IRC Division 1
1st – URM Group
2nd – Smuggler
third – No Limit
IRC Division 2
1st – Supernova
2nd – Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth
third – Mondo
IRC Corinthian
1st – Koa
2nd – Pretty Woman
third – Supernova
Wild Rose IRC
1st – Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth
2nd – Mondo
third – Wild Oats
PHS
1st – Sticky
2nd – Smuggler
third – URM Group
TWO-HANDED IRC
1st – Philosopher
2nd – Rum Rebellion
third – Blue Planet
TWO-HANDED PHS
1st – Philosopher
2nd – Rum Chaser
third – Rum Rebellion
The subsequent & penultimate race within the 2023/24 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore would be the Cabbage Tree Island Race which can get beneath manner at 1900hrs on Friday 1 December. This race additionally doubles as the primary race within the 2023 Raymarine Australian Maxi Championship for eligible race boats over 60-feet in size.
The last race within the Pointscore is the 78th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which can begin on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, Tuesday 26 December.
