Betreff: Rolex press - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2002
Empfänger: Dr.Krumnacker@t-online.de
Datum: 01. Jan 2003 00:42
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2002
International Jury disqualifies two yachts
An International Yachting jury today disqualified the French/Australian entry Peugeot Racing and the Sydney yacht Loki following protest hearings into race collisions shortly before and soon after the Boxing Day start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
The hearings in Hobart this afternoon centred on collisions between Loki and the Queensland yacht Trumpcard, resulting in the retirement of Trumpcard, and between Peugeot Racing and the Tasmanian boat Valheru, which saw Valheru also forced to retire from the race.
Trumpcard suffered a hole in the transom and structural damage; Valheru's hull was split wide open amidships on the port side.
Earlier in the day, the jury lodged its own protest against all four yachts after ruling that their protests were invalid on the grounds that they had not followed immediate protest procedures as required by the international racing rules.
Valheru and Peugeot Racing
Facts found:
1-Between marks x and z, a collision occurred between Valheru and Peugeot Racing resulting a crew member being thrown into the water and resulting in serious damage to Valheru that caused her retirement for the race.
2-A protest lodged by Valheru was declared invalid as Valheru did not hail ‘protest’’
3 – Peugeot Racing took a 720 degrees turns penalty in acknowledgement of the incident
4 - Peugeot Racing continued racing, finished and has not retired
5 - After the incident Peugeot Racing deployed her life sling, lowered the headsail and started the engine. No other equipment was deployed.
6 -Peugeot Racing reindexed in the vicinity of the person in the water until he was picked up out of the water by a Rigid Inflatable Boat that was in the area.
Conclusions and rules that apply
Rule 44.1 requires a yacht that has caused serious damage by her breach to retire
The international jury was not satisfied that Peugeot Racing gave all possible help to the person in danger immediately after the incident.
Rules Applicable: 1.1 and 44.1
Decision:
Peugeot Racing is disqualified.
Trump Card and Loki
Facts Found:
1 - Within one minute prior to the start a collision occurred between Loki and Trumpcard resulting in serious damage to Trump Card and caused her retirement from the race.
2 – A protest lodged by Trumpcard was declared invalid as she did not display a red flag as required by Rule 61.1 (a).
3 – Loki did not hear two radio calls by Trump Card on VHF 72 to the Race Committee indicating firstly her return to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia to assess the damage and then advising of her retirement from the race.
4 – Loki took a 720 degrees turn penalty in acknowledgement of the incident.
5 - Loki continued racing and finished.
6 – The external visual damage sustained to Trump Card could not readily identify the seriousness of the damage
7– Loki was shown photographs showing the damage which she agreed was serious
7 – Loki was given an opportunity to retire and declined
Conclusions and Rules That Apply
Rule 44.1 requires a yacht that has caused serious damage by her breach to retire.
Decision
Loki is disqualified for note retiring as required by Rule 44.1
The International Jury comprised Ronnie McCracken (Chairman), John Kirkjian, Rob Green, Don Brooke, and Tony Mooney.
Note on Applicable Rules
1.1: Helping Those In Danger
A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any vessel or person in danger
44.1: Taking a Penalty
A boat that may have broken a rule of part 2 (When Boats Meet) while racing may take a penalty at the time of the incident. Her penalty shall be a 720 degree turns unless the sailing instructions specify the use of the scoring penalty or some other penalty. However, if she caused serious damage or gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach she shall retire.
60.4: If a protest committee (International Jury) received a report of an incident that may have resulted in serious damage or serious injury, it may protest any boat involved.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Media Centre Phone: +61 (03) 6231 9367
Email: rshyrmedia@bigpond.com
Betreff: Rolex press - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2002
Empfänger: Dr.Krumnacker@t-online.de
Datum: 01. Jan 2003 00:31
Delta Wing flies in from last to first
Delta Wing, the second oldest boat in the 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, has created yachting history with a rare double – this year winning the PHS Divisions of the Sydney Hobart and the Gosford to Lord Howe Island Race, Australia’s only annual Category 1 ocean races.
The steel-hulled, 20 tonne, 13.52 metre cruising yacht also created her own personal best performance for the 630 nautical mile Sydney Hobart Race.
Not only did Delta Wing not finish last in the fleet, as she did in the 2000 Race when it took her seven days to sail the course, but she cut three days off that time and crossed the line in 51st place among the 55 finishers.
On corrected time, Delta Wing, skippered by Bill Koppe from the Gosford Sailing Club, won the PHS Division from the aptly-named aluminium boat, Kickatinalong, skippered by Mike de Berg, and the veteran boat, Berrmilla, skippered by Alex Whitworth.
Like the rest of the fleet, Delta Wing enjoyed fast but easy sailing conditions from start to finish, although she did blow out her biggest spinnaker in 30 knots.
“I feel I’ve only sailed half a Hobart,” owner/skipper Koppe quipped after he reached Hobart. “We had three aims for this race – to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Hobart instead of at sea, to win the PHS Division, and not finish last – and we’ve done all three.”
Koppe said he had been delighted just before Delta Wing left the CYCA basin on Boxing Day to be introduced to Sir Edmund Hillary, the Official Starter of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. “He wished us fair winds and fast sailing – and we got just that,” Koppe said.
“We believe we are also the first yacht to win the PHS Divisions of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race and the Gosford to Lord Howe Island Race in the one year; the previous AFR Midnight Rambler won the IMS Divisions of both races,” he added.
Quest, Bob Steel’s Nelson/Marek 46, not only finished Overall Winner but also won IMS Division A, while in the IRC category, she placed second to the New Zealand yacht Starlight Express (Stewart Thwaites) and won IRC Division B.
The Currawong 30, Zeus II, skippered by Jim Dunstan on his 25th race to Hobart, missed out on being Overall winner for the second time (the first was back in 1981) by only four minutes, but won IMS Division B.
IMS Division C and third Overall went to the veteran Melbourne yachtsman Lou Abrahams, skippering his Sydney 38, Another Challenge, in his personal 40th race.
Of those races, 38 have been as skipper of his own yacht.
Another 30-footer, Redrock Communications, designed by Robert Hick and skippered by Chris Bowling, won IRC Division C, while Star Express, a Davidson 55 won IRC Division A as well being first overall in the IRC handicap category.
Andrew Short Marine Mercury, skippered by Andrew Short, won the Sydney 38 One Design division from Polar Star, a joint Australian/Russian campaign with the yacht skippered jointly by her Australian part-owner Natasha Henley-Smith and Russian Olympic sailor Georgy Shayduko.
While Neville Crichton’s Reichel/Pugh 90 missed out on breaking the race record when she took line honours, the entire fleet had its fastest ever voyage to Hobart.
Datum: 01. Jan 2003 00:22
Quest climbs its 'Everest' to win 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart
The crew of the Sydney yacht Quest breathed a sigh of relief at 8 minutes past 10am this morning when it was confirmed they had won the IMS division and with it, the coveted Tattersall’s trophy for the outright winner.
But it was a desperately close finish!
Bob Steel's Nelson/Marek 46, Quest, arrived in Hobart at 9:03am on Sunday morning, and then watched as strong northerly winds pushed the back of the fleet closer to Hobart. By this morning’s sked it was clear that this would be a cliff-hanger. Jim Dunstan’s 23-year-old Currawong 30, Zeus II, needed to average five knots to get to Hobart by 10:08 am, and if she did, she would win.
With twenty minutes to go it looked as though Zeus II was in with a chance, but the wind was flukey. After 630 miles, Zeus II was less than half a mile from the finish line when time ran out. They were to finish 8 minutes later.
The final winning margin for the refurbished, state-of-the-art grand prix racer Quest over the ageing little sloop Zeus II was 4 minutes 29 seconds on corrected time.
Quest has enjoyed considerable success in club and bluewater sailing since being launched in 1997 and optimised in the last 18 months.
This revitalised champion ocean racing yacht won the Sydney to Mooloolaba Race earlier in the year. The crew has more than 130 Hobarts between them and a string of top results. The boat has also represented Australia in the Kenwood Cup and the Admiral’s Cup.
Owner/skipper Bob Steel, competing in his 16th Sydney Hobart Race, thought it was all over at midnight last night.
“I pulled down the battle flag and skulked off to bed quietly thinking it was all over but this morning my spies told me Zeus II was still in the river,” Bob said.
“Winning the Hobart Race was our Number one aim for the year and our second aim is to win the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Bluewater Pointscore, which we are currently leading.
“Having placed second twice in this race, this is the pinnacle of my 35 year yachting career.
“It is fitting that Sir Edmund Hillary started the Rolex Race on Boxing Day because this is my little Everest,” he said.
Zeus II skipper Jim Dunstan, who won the race in 1981 in the same boat, can only ponder on what might have been.
This was Dunstan’s 25th race and the boat’s 16th and final race to Hobart. Naturally, in the closing stages of the race, it was the sentimental favourite.
“At the Iron Pot we thought we were in with a chance. The south easterly had kicked in and we were making good time, but then the wind faded,” Dunstan said.
“It picked up again near the finish line but by then it was too late.
“If it had come 15 minutes earlier we would have won.”
Still, Dunstan was philosophical. “It was a very pleasing result. Good luck to Quest. Second is better than third and better than 57th.”
The last yacht, Alex Whitworth’s Berrimilla, is due to finish at lunchtime today.
Full details of all the provisional winners and place getters in all divisions can be seen on the www.rolexsydneyhobart.com.
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