TP52 Challenge this Friday

A tough contingent of Australians will meet a brilliant but lone majority New Zealand crew for the ANZAC long weekend running of stage two of the TP52 Southern Cross Cup at Sandringham Yacht Club, April 26-28.

Australian and New Zealand comrades will be honoured this coming ANZAC Day for fighting side-by-side, a tradition which began on the bloody shores of Gallipoli during WWI. In keeping with the modern day rivalry between the two great sporting nations eight TP52s will square off on the waters of Port Phillip in Victoria the following day to begin the quest for the series’ perpetual trophy.

Team Beau Geste, owned by Hong Kong based businessman Karl Kwok and skippered by leading Kiwi match racer Gavin Brady, took stage one from Marcus Blackmore’s Sydney based TP52 Hooligan by four points back in February.

"Karl Kwok is extremely passionate about his sailing and it’s a real boost for the team to have him back sailing with us for stage two of the Southern Cross Cup," said Brady prior to the New Zealand contingent heading across the Tasman Sea to defend their Round One result.

International yachtsman Karl Kwok last sailed in Australia at the Festival of Sails in Geelong in 2008. On his much anticipated return he said: "It is my understanding from crew feedback and especially Gavin that all the TP52s in this circuit are pretty even. This means it will be class racing in the purest form. 

"Also, the format of the races are proposed and agreed by the owners, ensures an exceptionally level playing field. It will be down to making the right tactical calls as well as crew ability for all. To me, those are the main ingredients of exciting racing!" Kwok added.

Marcus Blackmore has said in the past that: "Coming second is a bit like coming second in a fight -- it’s not fun".

The performance of Jason Van Der Slot’s Calm 2 on Port Phillip during the TP52's first hit out from SYC two months ago was indubitable, the local boat placing third a mere point from Hooligan’s impressive second rung on the pointscore ladder.

The three-day regatta, due to start this Friday (April 26), will showcase the same line up as stage one of the TP52 Southern Cross Cup, as long as Michael Martin’s Frantic from Newcastle makes a successful 730 nautical mile delivery from Lord Howe Island.

Frantic was officially declared the IRC and ORCi winner of the 39th edition of the well-known Gosford to Lord Howe Island yacht race on the 10th of this month. He reckoned the delivery crew would arrive at Sandringham YC this Wednesday afternoon or evening, which, assuming an incident-free delivery leaves them a day up their sleeves before Friday’s first of nine scheduled windward/leeward races.

ANZAC Day, Thursday April 25th, is the dedicated practice day for all crews.

Frantic, launched in 2004, will once again be racing with an age allowance advantage over the much newer generation hulls of Victorian entries Shogun V and Calm 2 (both 2011 hulls) and remaining entries; Hooligan (2009 hull), John Williams’ Calm (VIC) and Tony Lyall’s Cougar II (TAS), both 2005 models. Also eligible for an age allowance is Rob Date’s RP52 (its genesis is the TP52 design), the 2009 born Scarlet Runner (VIC) and Team Beau Geste (HKG), also launched in 2009.

Laying a start gate in the middle of the course is likely to feature again as a way of compressing the fleet, thereby cutting out tactical options and keeping the older-generation TPs in touch, while also heightening the spectator experience.

The TP52 Southern Cross Cup is just one of the activities planned for this weekend’s third annual SYC Centenary Trophy Regatta incorporating AMS and IRC and performance races as well as a 'Family Fun Rally and a J24 One Design sprint to be hosted this Saturday, 27 April, on the waters of Port Phillip.

The remaining two stages of the four-part TP52 series will be held in Sydney, the dates and host club are yet to be announced.