Grand finale

Fight to the finish for yachts in the CYCA’s Short Ocean Pointscore

Only two points separate the two top placed yachts in IRC Divisions 1 and 3 of the CYCA’s Short Ocean Pointscore for 2006-2007 with just one race to sail in two week’s time. This follows the second last SOPS race, sailed in a light to moderate north to northeasterly breeze on Saturday, albeit with some interference from US Vice President Cheney’s small armada that swept up the Harbour mid-afternoon, the escort of Navy, police and SAS boats cutting a swathe through racing fleets.

A line and IRC Division 1 handicap win by Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas’ Farr 40 AFR Midnight Rambler has lifted her to a one-point lead in that division from Julian Farren-Price’s Cookson 12 About Time. AFR Midnight Rambler is on 12 points after one discard, About Time on 13 points.

They are well clear of third-placed Steakybeak, Robert Sheldon’s Farr 40 on 22 points, while next is Occasional Coarse Language (Warwick Sherman) on 22 points and Nips N Tux (Howard De Torres) on 34 points.

In Saturday’s race AFR Midnight Rambler won from Stickybeak and Imagination (Robin & Annette Hawthorn) with About Time placing fourth.

In IRC Division 3, the margin is just two points between John Maclurcan’s Illingworth & Primrose-designed Morag Bheag (11 points) and Howard Piggott’s Beneteau 34.7 Brilliant (12 points). Third overall is Stormy Petrel, Kevin O’Shea's Sparkman & Stephens-designed former World One Ton Cup champion. Brilliant completed a hat-trick of wins in IRC Division 3 on Saturday in winning from Morag Bheag and J Force (Judy & Moty Bergman).

Under PHS handicaps, Imagination won Saturday’s race from Nips N Tux and Amante (Dennis Cooper) while PHS Division 1 pointscore leader AFR Midnight Rambler placed fourth. However, AFR Midnight Rambler still holds a commanding pointscore lead with 22.9 points after one discard.

Nips N Tux (32 points) has moved from fourth to second in standings with her second on Saturday, displacing Occasional Coarse Language, which has dropped to fourth on 38 points. Blackadder, another Cookson 12 skippered by Stephen Thomas is third overall in PHS Division 1 on 37 points.

Morag Bheag also leads PHS Division 3 despite a fifth in Saturday’s race, and is on 21 points, ahead of Brilliant on 27 points and Bob Penty’s Beneteau 38.5 Big Blue on 28 points.

Winner of Saturday PHS Division 3 race was Philip Odouard’s Cool from Greg Davern’s Marigot Bay and Brilliant.

The final race of the SOPS pointscore for 2006-2007 will be sailed on Saturday week, 10 March, when a second discard race will come into effect.