Under clear blue skies and with Melbourne’s Port Phillip bathed in sunshine, a record fleet of 112 yachts, carrying 618 crew, set sail on Boxing Day in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s annual Cock of the Bay race.
Paul Buchholz’s Cookson 50 Extasea took line honours, Extasea took the gun at the Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron on Mornington Peninsula after four hours and two minutes.
With a light northerly blowing during the morning, most of the fleet hoisted spinnakers, creating a spectacular picture for residents and visitors on the Bayside shoreline.
Media boats and news helicopters followed the fleet as they enjoyed the benign conditions, but Mother Nature decided it was time for the crews to work off some Christmas lunch.
As the sun passed over the proverbial yard arm, a moderate southerly filled in, causing the spinnakers to be dropped and mainsheets to be tightened.
In the handicap divisions, Ari Abrahams’ Xpresso did a rare treble, winning Division 2 on IRC, AMS and PHF.
Abrahams and his crew also recorded the fastest corrected time across all divisions in both AMS and IRC.
Peter Jackson’s Niche, in Division 1, managed IRC and AMS but did not contest PHS. Paul Dynes Himalayan Women won Division 3 AMS and PHS.
Full results available here . . .
Sunday morning, 22 of the yachts will again be under starter’s orders as they set off on the ORCV Rudder Cup Race from Portsea to Devonport, in Tasmania.
Roger McMillan
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