Balance

Balance is the fourth yacht of that name skippered and owned by money media commentator Paul Clitheroe who began campaigning this Beneteau 45 in 2009. He has come away with some great results: winning overall the IRC Passage at the 2009 Audi Hamilton Island Race Week; second in the 2009 Rolex Trophy Series; first in IRC Division 2 at the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta 2010 and second in the CYCA’s 2009/2010 Ocean Pointscore Series.

In 2010, Balance won the Hempel Paints 37th Gosford to Lord Howe Island Yacht Race and the Gascoigne Cup. In 2011, it was second in the Audi Docklands Invitational Production division and won the Milsons Cup and Division 2 of the NSW IRC Championship, before a divisional third in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. Clitheroe then scored second in IRC Division B at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week and was second in IRC and ORCi Division 2 of the Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Clitheroe entrusted his Beneteau to an expat French crew for last year’s race and the crew, who renamed the yacht Peugeot-Surfrider, notched up a third in IRC Division 3 and second in ORCi Division 2. With Clitheroe back in control, Balance won the City of Sydney Cup (Australia Day Race 2013), and IRC and ORCi Division 1 in the Sydney Harbour Regatta, before finishing second in IRC Passage Division 1 at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in August.

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