| MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA-(23-1-2003) Quest's owner, Bob Steel, came ashore this afternoon feeling very pleased - he and his crew on the Nelson Marek 46, had just taken out the IRC Division of the Australian Offshore Keelboat Championships hosted by Royal Yacht Club of Australian on Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne.
Representing the CYCA in Sydney, Quest has won just about every race on the ocean racing calendar this past year, including the inaugural Sydney-Newcastle Race, Hamilton Island Race Week, is the current IMS champion and in December won overall the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race under IMS. Now he has won the Customs House Hotel IRC Division of the AOKC.
'This has been phenomenal year for me, it's fantastic, what a roll we're on, we're just all really pleased, now we are the IRC champions, we'll take it as we can get it,' Steel said this afternoon.
'We have an alright boat that is sailed consistently well, I have a great crew, Greeny (Mike Green) steering, Sean Kirkjian calling tactics, Daniel Birch, Col Anderson, Jacko (Jack Goluzd), Peter Messenger, Stuart Bon and Simon Reffold.
We're heading back to Sydney now, the crew have had enough for the time being, then we'll take on the Blue Water Point Score at CYCA, that's our next aim,' he added.
Ray Roberts' Hollywood Boulevard (CYCA) took 2nd place overall in the 64-strong fleet, with some top results, including two 3rd places, and coming home 2nd in today's final race, sailing just as well in light airs as they did in the heavier winds on the Bay.
Robert Hick's self designed Toecutter (RYCV), finished 3rd overall, winning Race 6 in light airs - the Hick 31's are exceptionally quick in these conditions. He also won the AMS Division from Rob Davis' Owl & Pussycats (SYC) and Athol Lidgett's Wake (RYCV), another of Hick's successful 31 footers.
The well-sailed Brian Peterson skippered Maverick II (RNZYS), took out the PHD Division from Tim and Doris Little's Lattitude (SYC) and Ray Borett's Laurelle (RYCV), an Austral Super 30 helmed by Jan 'Clogs` Scholten.
Past Commodore of Sandringham YC, Kevin Wood, won the IMS Division with his Beneteau 40.7, Ticket of Leave (SYC), which is exactly what he had to get, from Sail Melbourne Regatta, to skipper his boat in today's final races. Veteran ocean racer, Lou Abraham's finished 2nd overall (and 4th in IRC), with Hollywood Boulevard 3rd.
In the Stormy Australia Adams 10 Division, Graeme Paul's Adams Den won from Max Peters' Top Gun and Norm Edwards' Hullabaloo in 3rd - a clean sweep for Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, which all three represent.
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