Highly Sprung

In 2018, Mark Spring bought this Beneteau 45 which started life as Lady Courrier in 2008, the year her French owner finished the Rolex Sydney Hobart 37th overall. Paul Clitheroe bought her in 2009 and placed 62nd in the race that year, then 18th in 2011. Her last Hobart was 2013, as Balance, when she finished 37th. Since acquiring Highly Sprung, Spring did Hamilton Island Race Week in 2018, finishing top ten in IRC. In December, he took the triple IRC/ORCi/PHS crowns in the 2019 Pittwater to Paradise (Gold Coast), ably assisted by his boat captain ‘Banker’ Pearson, and crew boss Phil West, winning IRC by over six hours from ‘Pretty Woman’  and the rest in what was essentially an uphill race.

This Rolex Sydney Hobart, the boat will be skippered by Spring and supported again by Pearson and West, with West’s son Harry flown in from the US to do bow. Bruce Kelly is navigating and there are seven keen Rolex Sydney Hobart newbies on board hoping for an honest finish to reflect the training they have done to conquer this race. All hope that a top 10 divisional finish as realistic.

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