Ragamuffin's challenge for Hobart supremacy

10:13 AM Thu 18 Dec 2008 GMT

'The Rolex Trophy 2008
Limit, Sail n? 98888, Skipper/Owner: Alan Brierty
Photo: ? ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi' &copy Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

On day one of the Rolex Trophy eighty-one year old Syd Fischer and his crew on board Ragamuffin threw down an early challenge to the rest of the fleet preparing for the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in eight days time.

Fresh from being named the CYCA's Ocean Racer of the Year for 2007/08 last night, Fischer followed up with a first place in race one and a fourth in race two to finish the day tied for first on 5 points with Geoff Ross' Yendys and Alan Brierty's Limit.

For the opening day of the Rolex Trophy the fleet of thirteen yachts, divided into two divisions, was greeted by light nor'easterly breezes. Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson set the course straight out from Macquarie Light to a course area best known as Macquarie Circle.

'Today we experienced nor'easterly breezes and reasonably flat conditions. It was what you would call gentlemanly racing,' said Thompson.

Race one started in an 8 knot sea breeze that built to 10 knots. Peter Harburg's Queensland 66-footer Black Jack showed her racing colours in division 0/1, taking the lead early from Limit which stayed in touch with Black Jack throughout race one.

While Black Jack crossed the finish line comfortably ahead of Limit, it was Ragamuffin's day on handicap with an IRC division 0/1 win in race one ahead of Yendys and Limit.

Race two's start was delayed due the light conditions. Thompson lengthened the course to three laps and again set the course to the north east. Ragamuffin's race two was marred from the start with an On Course Side penalty for the TP52 forcing her to take a 360 degree turn, which cost fifteen seconds of race time.

For the first two roundings of the bottom mark, the breeze was consistently nor'east but on the last leg the breeze swung to the easterly. Meanwhile those at the back of the fleet had to contend with a drop in the breeze, down to four knots.

Limit and Black Jack picked up where they left off, duelling all the way to the first gate. By the time they rounded the gate a second time, Black Jack had pulled away to a 100 metre lead, which she held to claim back to back line honours wins.

In IRC Division 0/1 Graeme Wood's TP52 Wot Now finished first in race two, with the Reichel/Pugh 62 Limit second and the Farr 55 Yendys third.

Commenting on today's racing, Syd Fischer said 'The boat's feeling good and we are always learning something.

'A series like this sharpens up the crew, they get quicker and become more careful.' Ragamuffin was named Boat of the Day in IRC division 0/1.

The day one pointscore has a three way tie in IRC Division 0/1 between Ragamuffin, Yendys and Limit. In IRC Division 2 Terra Firma finished at the top of the leaderboard, with Sam Newton's Kirribilli second and Guy Stening's Optimum third.

In division 2 the fleet was issued a general recall at the start of race one with the second start clean. Nicholas Bartels' Sydney 47 Terra Firma performed consistently in this division to finish the day with two firsts and be named 'Boat of the Day'.

Terra Firma, SM 47, Skipper/Owner: Nicholas Bartels
Photo: ? ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi - &copy Rolex-Carlo Borlenghi

by Jennifer Crooks/Rolex Sydney Hobart Media Team

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Ragamuffin's challenge for Hobart supremacy

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