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  • Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore showcases another landmark season

Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore showcases another landmark season

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  • 17 Jan, 2019 03:04:00 PM
Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore showcases another landmark season
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Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore showcases another landmark season

The completion of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has signaled the end of another exceptional Blue Water Pointscore series

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 2018/19 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore (Audi Centre Sydney BWPS) has successfully wrapped for another season, with competitors ranging from super maxis to 30-footers from around the nation competing in the series that has become known as the pinnacle of ocean racing in this country.

The 2018/19 Audi Centre Sydney BWPS was a season of landmarks for the series as it entered its 61st year of challenging offshore sailors. Three new open race records were posted by the first 100-footer to ever contest the entirety of the series, the IRC title was won by the same yacht in five out of the six races and, for the very first time, supporters and fans were able to catch all the action of the Audi Centre Sydney BWPS on a new, dedicated website.

Matt Allen’s Botin-designed TP52 Ichi Ban was the commanding force throughout this season’s competition. Fresh from his Tattersall Cup-winning performance in the 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Allen certainly did not let up throughout the year, taking all but one overall series race, and ultimately claiming the Blue Water (IRC) and Cape Byron (ORCi) Pointscores.

CYCA Rear Commodore Dr Sam Haynes also raced a stellar series with his TP52 Celestial either on the podium or not far from it in each of the six races. Adding to the Audi Centre Sydney BWPS spectacle, the TP52 fleet this season has seen fierce competition with four of the highly-strung speed machines battling it out in close competition, a contest which saw Celestial ultimately claiming second place IRC, and first in the Tasman Performance Series (PHS).  

Jim Cooney’s super maxi Comanche contested every race of the series and in the process setting new open race records in the Flinders Islet, Newcastle Bass Island and Bird Island races. The 100-foot behemoth jostling for position on the Sydney Harbour start lines was certainly a spectacle, and for the races that finished in Rushcutters Bay, Comanche was always first across the line, decisively earning the Bass & Flinders Series (Line Honours) crown.

Anthony Kirke’s Farr 40 Enterprise from Fremantle Sailing Club Western Australia, Helsal 3 Syndicate’s Adams 20 Helsal 3 from Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and John Newbold’s RP51 Primitive Cool from Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron Victoria joined their New South Wales counterparts this year, making this a truly Australia-wide ocean racing competition.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia would like to thank our key Race Partner Audi Centre Sydney, without whose support the Club would not be able to conduct the Audi Centre Sydney BWPS to the standard we strive to achieve for Australia’s greatest blue water competition. We encourage our Members, and the wider ocean racing community to recognise and return this support as we strengthen our partnership into the future.

The Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore series will return for the 2019/20 season with the 34th Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race taking place on 27 July. The coastal classic will be followed by the Flinders Islet, Newcastle Bass Island, Cabbage Tree Island, and Bird Island Races, climaxing with the ‘Everest’ of ocean racing, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on 26 December.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia welcomes you to an amazing year ahead of yacht racing, and we look forward to joining you on the water as we celebrate 75 years of racing, cruising and camaraderie!

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