Celestial

Sam Haynes has been sailing up a storm with his Rogers 46, Celestial in his attempts for great results this season. It finished runner-up to Loki in last year’s CYCA Blue Water Pointscore (BWPS) after scoring 22^nd overall, third in IRC Division 2, and first in ORCi Division 2 in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart, the last race of the series. Haynes said it made amends for disappointing performances in the previous two Hobarts.

Celestial also won the Cape Byron Series (ORCi division of the 2012 BWPS) and placed third in the PHS series of that event. This year has already proven to be a good one for Haynes and crew. They won the 2013 NSW IRC Championship at Sail Port Stephens in April after finishing fourth in the Audi IRC Australian Championship in January.  

In July, the Rogers 46 was 12^th overall and second in IRC Division 2 of the CYCA’s light wind Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, and went on to win the Brisbane Keppel Tropical Yacht Race overall, also winning under ORCi. Haynes then finished third in the IRC Racing division at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week and is fourth in the CYCA’s Blue Water Pointscore Series after four races.

Celestial will again sponsored by Sydney Animal Hospitals and is sailing to raise funds for Assistance Dogs Australia. She should not be underestimated; BWPS and other races this season, all of them, have tended to favour the smaller boats, so come the Hobart, Celestial will come into her own.

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