Another Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) Apollo Bay race has been run and won, with Justin Brenan’s Alien claiming overall race victory, while William Newman’s Goggo took line honours.
The fleet of 41 enjoyed a cool but sunny day on their run to Apollo Bay, with a breeze that turned fickle in the closing stages of the race.
While many yachts enjoyed a smooth run to Cape Patton, only a few managed to escape the wind shadow of the Otways and make it to Apollo Bay before dark.
Justin Brenan, the owner/skipper of the Lidgard 36 Alien, stated that the key to the race was being on the right part of the course at the right time, and working the sail configuration tirelessly.
“A lot of boats followed the rhumbline and ended up in a dead patch. Several others went too far offshore and ended up paying a distance penalty. We aimed for the middle, and peeled between the asymmetric kite, Code Zero and jib constantly, to keep the boat going at its best,” Brenan said.
The Sayer design, Goggo, took line honours at 5:40pm, just beating Extasea (Paul Buchholz) and Cadibarra 8 (Paul Roberts). In the following few hours, others jostled to make it around Mark AB and then cross the finishing line.
With the fleet being split in two by those who followed the wind predictions and opting for the rhumbline drag race, and those who ventured further out and turned for Apollo Bay much later, the race was decided in the final 10 miles. In the end, it all came down to who could find the breeze. Congratulations to all competitors who took part in this year’s race.
Overall top three:
AMS
1st Alien (Justin Brenan)
2nd How Bizarre (Scott Robinson)
3rd Arcadia (Peter Davidson)
ORCc
1st Patriot (Jason Close)
2nd Vagabond (Andrew McConchie)
3rd RMS Cole Walker (Barney Walker/Jade Cole)
IRC
1st How Bizarre
2nd Arcadia
3rd Patriot
Double Handed
1st Saltair (Sarah Allard)
2nd Maverick (Anthony Hammond/Rod Smallman)
3rd RMS Cole – Walker
PHS
1st Goggo (William Newman)
2nd Alien
3rd Vagabond
Line Honours Goggo
Full entry list: http://www.orcv.org.au/results/2020-21/2021M2AB/01RGrp48.htm?ty=22934
Full results: http://www.orcv.org.au/results/2020-21/2021M2AB/series.htm?ty=47448
