Hamilton Island Racing

While Bob Oatley's Wild Oats X won IRC Racing line honours in the final race at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week to complete an unblemished record of line honours wins during the week, Geoff Ross' Reichel/Pugh 55 Yendys won the series overall.

In fluky breezes and a strong current that tested all, particularly as it went against the yachts on the return journey home, it was a small-boat race which worked in favour of Ross and his crew who had to beat Wild Oats X on corrected time to win the series, which they did.

Although Limit, West Australian Alan Brierty's Corby 49 won the last race, the UBS South Molle/Daydream Island Race, Yendys, which Ross says is built for predominantly heavy weather racing, finished well down in 15th, but beat Wild Oats X by four places to claim the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week title. Wild Oats X finished second overall, with Steven David's Reichel/Pugh 60 third, making it three Reichel/Pugh designs on the podium.

All divisions in the 217-boat record fleet started the final race in Dent Passage with the IRC Racing division first away at 10am.

The IRC Racing, Premier IRC, Performance, Cruiser/Racer IRC and Club Marine Cruising Division 1 contested the 23nm UBS South Molle/Daydream Island Race, while Cruising Divisions 2 and 3, and the Non-Spinnaker divisions were sent off on a shorter 13nm course, due to the light sou-easterly breezes.

It was a spectacular sight on a beautiful warm blue-skied morning as all yachts set kites heading in a northerly direction. In fact, it was wall-to-wall spinnakers for an hour, treating spectators to a colourful display as humpback whales played among the fleet, adding that something special to the final day.

PREMIER IRC
Laurence Freedman sailed Espresso Forte to a win in the Premier IRC division after being in a three-way tie with Eagle Rock and Carrera going into the final race. And while Carrera carted off second place overall, Eagle Rock was superseded by Paul Clitheroe's Balance.

A proud Freedman said: "This is our sixth year here. We've had two third places and now a win - we're obviously getting better!"

In the final race, Andrew Short Marine Brindabella and Alex-Team MacAdie, co-skippered by father and son crew Jock and Hamish MacAdie got away well and looked comfortable in the run to South Molle Island.

Dean Harrigan's Beneteau First 50 Playstation 3 also made the best of the start with multi-talented sailor Michael Spies at the helm and it was clear early on that Freedman was focussed on winning.

The MacAdies have recently returned to Australia after taking line honours in the 5500nm Melbourne-Osaka Race.

CRUISER/RACER IRC
Mark Griffith skippered his Bull 9000 Raging Bull to a win in the Cruiser/Racer IRC division, despite finishing well down the leaderboard on the final day, as was the case for many top three finishers across the fleets.

Equinox, Anthony Dunn's Sydney 36CR sailed well on the last day and it paid dividends with his second overall finish in the series. Geoff Pearson's Archambault 35 rounded off the top placings finishing third overall.

The Ian Box owned and skippered Toy Box got away comfortably and looked smooth under spinnaker, along with FKP Mean Machine, Chris Rabbige and Ian Uther's colourful modified Mumm 36, and John Bacon's Hussy.

PERFORMANCE RACING
On the last day, Dave Witt steered George Gregan Foundation into pole position at the start. Aussie boatbuilder John McConaghy had Second Time Around sailing hard, bow down, under kite - and that's how the top two places rounded out overall in the Performance Racing division. Wallop, Peter Hewson's Sydney 41, finished third overall.

Aboard Rumbo, Guy and Clark Holbert and their small crew looked relaxed in the perfect light-weather conditions throughout the race.

Whale Watching Sydney Liesl appeared to be doing just that - whale watching, as they slowly cruised the course, and Rod Skellet's unusual looking Pope 40, Krakatoa II loped along with renowned navigator and pilot Roger Grimes helping with tactics. Jeffery Paul's Mumm 30 Immigrant was quick off the line too.

CRUISING DIVISION 1
Graham Smith's X-43 Scaramouche never looked like being beaten in the Club Marine Cruising 1 division. A clear 10 points ahead going into the final race, Smith capitalised to take the series from Escape, Graham Jones' Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49 and the Oceanic Hustler, an Olsen 50 owned by Bruce Finlay.

Stephen Keal and his crew on Fish Frenzy looked to be in the groove in this division, along with Chris Carlisle's Piano Man. Sandstone may not have been the fastest boat on the track, but Mike Davies and his crew were making the best of their day and enjoying themselves.

Doug Ryan looked keen to replay his first day win with his Farr 1104 Magic, while Ian Miller's Young Ones crew were playing catch-up and the big Open 60 Gusto 1, with Brian Pattinson at the helm, made the best of his big boat status at the front end of their fleet.

OTHER CRUISING DIVISIONS
Cruising Divisions 2 and 3, along with the Non-Spinnaker division were the last classes to start. The heavier boats found it hard going until clearing Dent Passage.

Viva La Vita, Tony Bates' Northshore 330, looked to be making a good job of Cruising Division 2, and did as the overall winner.

Magnolia, Peter Higgins' classic S&S58, took second place overall, with Farrago, Tom and Emily McCutcheon's Phase 4, third overall.

During the race, the beautiful Seastream 650 Celera with celebrated sailor Nev Wittey at the helm was elegant and sleek, while the Holy Cow crew looked competitive but fairly relaxed.

In Cruising 3 division, David Berry (Escapade) claimed a well deserved series win from Paul Melling's Morning Mist and Jim Shannon's S&S34 Meltemi taking third place.

In the Non Spinnaker Division, the penultimate day's leader, Terry Herbert's True Colours did enough on the final day to win overall from Bryan Hudson's Catalyst, which held on to second place overall from the day before, while Mike Walter and his Mim crew held off the competition for third place overall.

New race director, Denis Thompson, said: "We had a few little glitches on the opening day, but they were rectified and I'm very happy with the way the regatta has gone."

HAMILTON ISLAND RACE WEEK RESULTS: Top 5 by Division