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Ichi Ban takes the title

  • NEWS
  • 25 Jan, 2019 05:04:00 PM
Ichi Ban takes the title
Ichi Ban crew, with Matt Allen steering

Ichi Ban takes the title

Matt Allen and crew take out 2018 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore

Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore series IRC and ORCi champions Ichi Ban isn’t resting on her laurels.

Owner Matt Allen is thrilled to have claimed the mantle as the overall winners of the entire pointscore – but he insists his crew is also focusing on the future.

“It’s really exciting, and a great honour,” Allen says.

“We built the boat especially for the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore  and the Rolex Sydney Hobart – it’s a thrill to win it.

“The aim is to go back to back with [the 2019 pointscore], and of course there’s a focus on the 75th Sydney Hobart too.”

Ichi Ban beat Dr Sam Haynes’ Celestial and Noel Cornish’s St Jude for IRC and ORCi honours. While Allen’s couldn’t repeat the overall victory in the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart after claiming the 2017 title, but they were more than happy with their race – and, of course, the ultimate crown of the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore.

“We were really happy with our Hobart race and did all we could,” Allen says.

“We had a three- or four-hour lead just before Storm Bay, then the wind died to less than two knots. We gave it our all.”

Allen says the series is in increasing in competition – and other items still remain on his to-do list.

“The Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore Series just keeps getting better. The competition is fierce,” he says.

“Celestial is hot on our heels, she just keeps getting better and her modifications definitely helped. Sam keeps winding me up he won the PHS – hopefully we can get that soon!”

Click here for full Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore results.

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