Nipped in the Rosebud

STP65 beats Hobart rival at Rolex Trophy Rating Series

Roger Sturgeon and his American TP65 Rosebud hammered the final nail in Yendys’ coffin on Sunday afternoon with a second in the last race of the Rolex Trophy giving them a two point cushion when the final points total was tallied.

Heading into the deciding race of the Rolex Trophy late afternoon, Rosebud
and Geoff Ross’ Reichel/Pugh 55 Yendys were tied on equal points and on a
countback, Ross would have claimed victory.

The Sydney crew was dealt a somewhat cruel hand when the race committee
called for a second race start just 10 minutes before the 4pm time limit. Last
year Ross lost the Rolex Trophy by 0.1 of a point in what was the boat’s first
outing. Today he again conceded defeat to a worthy winner after finishing a
costly fifth in race eight.

“We prayed…it is Sunday…it might have helped,” said a delighted Sturgeon this
evening. He says he and his crew leant a lot from this regatta and that their
team spirit for the upcoming Rolex Sydney Hobart is high.

“This regatta taught us how to build on our weaknesses,” agreed mainsail
trimmer and ‘number cruncher’ Malcolm Park.

Rosebud has the perfect scorecard in Australia waters with an IRC win in the
SOLAS Big Boat Challenge and now the Rolex Trophy. Sturgeon and his crew
are calling Sydney “the friendliest place in the world. It’s far better than we
thought it would be,” Sturgeon said tonight.

There is no rest for the Yendys crew, the boat heading back out tonight in the
pouring rain for some reefing practice with their offshore mainsail.

Ross says this was his most enjoyable Rolex Trophy he’s contested and he
congratulated the Rosebud crew on their fine result in division 0/1.

Rosebud finished the Rolex Sydney Hobart lead up series on 11 points, Yendys
on 13 points and Steven David’s Wild Joe rounded off the podium placings with
a third on 27 points.

Alan Brierty’s Corby 49 Limit sailed a brilliant series, today picking up a fifth win
from eight races to beat The Philosopher’s Club by six points in division 2.

Helmed by Roger Hickman and with America’s Cup sailor Gavin Brady calling
tactics, Limit’s win has strengthened its Rolex Sydney Hobart overall chances
but they will have to wait for the Boxing Day bluewater classic to go head to
head on handicap against the Rolex Trophy division 0/1 placegetters as well as
the other highly fancied contenders.

“The crew is excellent, they are mostly amateurs who just love sailing,” said
Hickman tonight. “Alan’s put a top team together and it was great having Gavin on board to raise the bar and improve our race tactics. It’s been a fantastic four days but we are all glad it’s over because we are tired of sailing and then partying”.

Hickman was on board the Corby 49 when it claimed the division 2 win in last
year’s Rolex Trophy, when the boat was owned by Chris Dare and called Flirt.

After yesterday’s 15 knot nor’easter on a postcard Sydney summer’s day, the
sun stayed hidden and crews copped a drenching when a southerly change
brought teaming rain and 15 knot winds to the race track late this afternoon.

It was a light air affair to begin with, racing delayed for more than two hours
while competitors scanned the horizon for breeze. A light southerly finally blew
in, allowing race one to get underway before the wind fizzled again, the course
subsequently shortened at the second top mark rounding.

PRO Denis Thompson then made the late call to complete the scheduled eight
races. “It was very close racing over the four days, particularly amongst the 50-52
footers which were boat for boat,” said Thompson. “It was a great regatta with a wide variety of conditions and courses”.

A number of boats which weren’t vying for trophies or had interstate crew
booked on flights out of Sydney tonight chose not to sail the final race.

Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI didn’t race at all today, instead using the day for yet
more sail testing and crew training off Sydney Heads.

Final points here.