Loki's owner Stephen Ainsworth wins the Tattersall's Cup after 14 attempts

Stephen Ainsworth is delighted. After fourteen attempts he has taken out the historic Tattersall’s Cup with his McConaghy built Reichel/Pugh 63' Loki, adding the Rolex-Sydney-Hobart handicap victory to a brimming trophy cabinet. “We are elated, it is a fantastic feeling, a huge thrill to win this race,” said a jubilant Ainsworth. “I know how hard it is to win this race. I have been trying for a long time!"

Critical to Loki's victory in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart race was the crew’s ability to push the boat through the first night’s thirty-knot Southerly front - and then work through the light patches closer to the finish: Ainsworth's crew taking sixty miles out of the leading Maxis in one morning. Launched in Sydney in 2008, Loki has been the standout IRC yacht in Australia - in 2010 taking both line honours and IRC Division 1 overall victory in the Audi Sydney Harbour regatta, plus the overall win in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.

Crowned the 2010-2011 Bluewater Pointscore Champion - winning four of the seven-race series and taking line honours and the IRC 0/1 divisional win in this year’s Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race, in September Loki added the Bird Island Race to its list of successes, breaking the 15 year-old record held by the 80ft Brindabella.

Congratulations to Loki's owner and crew on beating an international fleet of eighty seven yachts and winning such a challenging and complex Rolex Sydney-Hobart race. Ainsworth describing the victory as "Pure joy!"

By Blue Robinson