Fleet Spoilt For Choice, Finish At Blairgowrie Or Mornington
The Age
Tuesday December 26, 2006
THE fleet for today's 32-nautical-mile Cock of the Bay yacht race from Port Melbourne to Blairgowrie is one of the best assembled in years, according to race organisers.
Originally run as a feeder race to move boats down the bay for the start of the Melbourne-Hobart and Melbourne-Launceston races, this year's race has attracted 85 yachts.And for the first time this year, there are two finish lines, giving smaller entrants an option to finish after 24 nautical miles at Mornington, although most of the fleet will make the trip to Blairgowrie.The race record, set in 2003, is five hours 13 minutes 10 seconds.This year, handicap honours are wide open, with Mike Welsh's highly fancied Alien, the Ward/Bedlington Under Capricorn and Robert Hick's Toecutter all expected to perform well.Ray Shaw's Outrageous, from Sandringham Yacht Club, has a formidable record around Port Phillip Bay, while a newcomer to Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Karnage, skippered by Ken Karn, also could finish strongly.Another relative newcomer this year and possible surprise package is David Margett's Aussie Rules, an impressive Adams 12 also from Royal Brighton.The 46-footer Shogun, skippered by Rob Hanna, also could feature prominently in this year's race after blitzing the field in the recent Lipton Regatta on Port Phillip Bay.Sally Rattle, from Tasmania, will skipper Archie in her first Cock of the Bay and then line up for the start of the Melbourne to Hobart tomorrow in Portsea."This is just a great series to be part of . . . we're looking forward to doing well (today) and hopefully getting to Hobart in time for New Year's Eve celebrations," Rattle said.The race starts at 10.30am near Station Pier and good viewing positions are available to the public at Port Melbourne Yacht Club, St Kilda Pier, the breakwater at Brighton, Green Point at Brighton, or Picnic Point on Jetty Road, Sandringham.
© 2006 The Age