| SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA-(16-7-2003) Inspired by a desire to create faster, fun boats, Sean Langman, the owner of
the radical 66-footer Grundig that has taken line honours in every major
east Australian offshore race, has donated three length-based trophies to
the CYCA to be awarded for the first time in the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht
Race.
`I saw this as an opportunity for people to design boats, within their price
range, that are capable of winning a length overall-based line honours
trophy,` said Sean, owner of Noakes Boatyard.
His shipwrights will handcraft three timber and carbon fibre perpetual
trophies for first over the line in the 40, 50 and 60 foot and under
categories. These trophies will be presented in addition to the Open line
honours trophy that has always been awarded to the first yacht over the
line.
Sean also intends to craft and donate similar trophies for the CYCA's Sydney
Mooloolaba Yacht Race.
Following on from the recent presentation by Rod Skellet to the CYCA of the
'Battery Point' trophy for the fastest elapsed time for a small boat in the
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, is the announcement that small boats
competing in this year's Sydney Gold Coast Race will also receive more
recognition for their efforts.
The 'Main Beach Trophy', named by Skellet after the finish point for the 384
nautical mile curtain opener for the Queensland winter racing circuit, is
being specially commissioned by the CYCA to add to the prestige of competing
for boats 34 feet and under.
Two major 'Main Beach' trophy contenders, Rod Skellet's Young 31 Krakatoa
and James and Jenny Neill's Super 30 Cone of Silence will be absent from the
starting line-up as the first completes the gruelling Transpacific Race and
the latter makes its way back to Australia having been forced to retire from
the 2,225 race with structural damage just three days in.
This leaves the Queensland Mumm 30 Enigma (Stewart Lewis) and Anthony
Paterson's Lake Macquarie-based Mumm 30 Tow Truck as the favourites for this
new perpetual trophy.
As well as four new trophies, there have been some technical changes
introduced for this year's Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, which starts in
Sydney Harbour on Saturday July 26 at 1.00pm.
It will be the first Australian offshore race to incorporate the
International Technical Committee's recommendation to the Ocean Racing
Council that water ballast be included in the IMS handicap system.
This recommendation also included an increase in the required stability
index for boats carrying water ballast from 110 to 115 degrees for the
Sydney Gold Coast Race.
Embracing this international recommendation allows CYCA members and other
owners with boats with water ballast to participate in the Club's IMS Blue
Water championship as well as the IRC Cape Byron series.
The upper speed limit for yachts competing has also been increased in IRC
from 1.6 to a TCC no greater than 1.610 and in IMS, an offshore TMF
(adjusted for any age allowance) certificate no greater than 1.4286.
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