Six teams named for Rolex Challenge

• NEWS
• 14 Dec, 2005 06:54:00 PM

Six teams named for Rolex Challenge

Six teams, one representing Australia, the others nominated by New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, have been nominated for the 2005 Rolex Challenge that starts tomorrow as part of the Rolex Trophy – Rating Series being sailed off Sydney.

Six teams,  representing Australia and New Zealand and the others nominated by New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria,  have been nominated for the 2005 Rolex Challenge that starts tomorrow as part of the Rolex Trophy – Rating Series being sailed off Sydney.

The Rolex Challenge will be based on IRC handicap results of team boats in the eight races of the Rolex Trophy – Rating Series to be sailed offshore over the next four days and the overall IRC handicap results of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, starting on 26 December.

Each team comprises two boats, one boat drawn from either IRC Division 0 or Division 1 and one from IRC Division 2 of the Rolex Trophy.  Division O is for the biggest and fastest boats in the fleet with a minimum IRC rating of 1.396; Division 1 is for boats with an IRC rating of between 1.211 and 1.395; Division 2 is for boats rating between 0.950 and 1.210.

The six teams, announced today by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in association with Yachting Australia, Yachting NSW, Yachting Victoria and Yachting Queensland, are:

AUSTRALIA:
Loki,  Stephen Ainsworth’s Reichel/Pugh 60 and Quantum Racing, Ray Roberts’ DK46.

NEW ZEALAND:
Konica Minolta, Stewart Thwaites' Bakewell-White 98 and Fincorp More Witchcraft,  John Cameron's Dibley 42.

QUEENSLAND:
Yendys, Geoff Ross’ Judel/Vrolijk 52 and Wedgetail, Bill Wild’s Welbourne 40.

NEW SOUTH WALES RED:
Wild Oats XI,  Bob Oatley’s Reichel/Pugh 98 and Wild Rose,  Roger Hickman’s Farr 43.

NEW SOUTH WALES BLUE:
Ragamuffin, Syd Fischer’s Farr 50 and Nips N Tux, Howard de Torres’ IMX40.

VICTORIA:
Flirt, Chris Dare’s Corby 49 and Fuzzy Logic, Paul Roberts and Bill Lennon’s ILC 40.

The Rolex Challenge will be scored across all races of the Rolex Trophy – Rating Series from 15 December through to Sunday, 18 December, plus the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (scored as if it was part of the Rolex Trophy – Rating Series).  The Rolex Challenge will be scored by a modified low scoring system that has a weighted advantage in the 628 nautical miles Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Each team’s Rolex Challenge score will be the total of that team’s boat’s individual scores, excluding each boat’s worst performance, which can include the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.  The team with the lowest score will be the winner.

The 2004 Rolex Challenge was won by the New Zealand team of Konica Minolta and Yendys.