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  • Two yachts disqualified after race start collision

Two yachts disqualified after race start collision

Two yachts disqualified after race start collision
Swan design, built in Finland

Two yachts disqualified after race start collision

The Protest Committee at the Rolex Trophy Series last night disqualified two yachts, Loki and Cinquante, as a result of a starting line collision in yesterday’s Race 3 of the regatta off Sydney Heads.

The Protest Committee at the Rolex Trophy Series last night disqualified two yachts, Loki and Cinquante,  as a result of a starting line collision in yesterday’s Race 3 of the regatta off Sydney Heads.

Both yachts had lodged protests over the same incident but the Protest Committee found both at fault, Loki (Stephen Ainsworth) as windward boat for failing to keep clear of Cinquante (Michael Jones), a leeward boat; Cinquante as right of way boat for failing to take action to avoid contact with Loki.

Neither yacht had figured high on the pointscore, although Loki had finished second in the IRC division of Race 2.

Going into today’s second day of the three day, eight race regatta, Geoff Ross’ new Yendys, an imported Judel Vrolijk 52, leads the IMS division with 164 points, followed by Syd Fischer’s Farr 50, Ragamuffin on 161 points, Matt Allen’s Farr 52, Ichi Ban, on 158 points and Bounder, the Farr 49 skippered by Chris Little, Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club in England.

In the IRC division,  Ichi Ban leads on 162 points, the super maxi Skandia (Grant Wharington) on 160 points, the Swan 45 Joe (Steven David) on 157 points and Ragamuffin on 156 points.

Most yachts have been nominated for both handicap categories, notable exceptions being Yendys (IMS only) and Skandia (IRC only).

In the Farr 40 One Design division, Kokomo (Lang Walker) leads with 4 points, from Team Shockwave (Neville Crichton) on 5 points and Weapon (Robert Skinner) on 6 points in a close competition.

Today the IMS and IRC divisions will race offshore,  the Farr 40 One Design class inshore, with light to moderate south-easterly winds forecast.