Beneteau First 40 Success!
09/01/2010
In an exciting and unique outcome for the 2009 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, two Beneteau First 40's finished first and second in the overall IRC results last week.
Two True , one of the first new Farr-designed Beneteau First 40 production racer/cruiser's to be imported into Australia, won IRC overall by 42 minutes from another new First 40, Wicked after a close race-long duel in which they followed a similar strategy - staying well east of the rhumbline.
Owner-skipper of Two True Andrew Saies had to survive a protest hearing against them as a result of an incident early in the race, before being confirmed as overall winner of the Tattersall's Cup, the major prize in the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race for the overall IRC handicap winner.
The winds during the race alternated between calms and light air to strong 25-35 knot headwinds and tailwinds. At different stages of the 628 nautical mile race, IRC overall handicap leaders varied throughout the fleet, between one of the biggest yachts, the Reichel/Pugh 100 maxi Alfa Romeo (Neville Crichton) and the smallest a Sea Nymph 33, Zephyr Hamilton Elevators (James Connell).
In the end, smaller production yachts topped the podium. Two of the new Farr-designed Beneteau First 40s, Two True (Andrew Saies) and Wicked (Mike Welsh) placed first and second. The first four boats on IRC corrected time all followed a similar race strategy, heading well out to sea from the start, staying mainly east of the rhumb line and chasing the favourable East Australian current.
Owner-skipper Saies said he was absolutely elated at the win after being in the surreal situation of not knowing the outcome until after the protest hearing. “Obviously we are very happy with the jury's decision. We believe we did everything in the circumstances to avoid significant damage to the other boat. We gave our intention to protest, we did a 720 (degree penalty turn), though the damage to the other boat was minor and superficial.”
Saies thanked his crew, which raced the two prior Sydney Hobart Races on his previous boat True North, a Beneteau First 40 .7. This South Australian crew continue to be strongly committed to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, sailing over 1000 nautical miles just to get to the start on Boxing Day. On a brand-new boat this year, he was clearly touched and said, "You can't win without a great boat, a great team and an ounce of Sydney - Hobart luck..This is an iconic race, if you're a yachtie in Australia, you want to win this race. Our team are fabulous guys, we have worked together for the past three years on my previous boat True North.”
He said the race was a physical endurance event over 628 miles. “The wind was in, the wind was out, we drifted, we went backwards, we lost internet access, we didn't know what was going on until the last few minutes. It was a classic Rolex Sydney Hobart event and we were in it up to our back teeth and it came our way in the end."
“Great boat, this new Beneteau. It just jumps out of the water, jumped a bit too hard in the last day or so in those big short waves. It's a fast boat, we had belief that this boat was going to rate well and do okay in this event, if the weather conditions allowed a small boat event."
“We may be privileged enough to have a boat and a team that gets to this position as people have in the past. But in yacht racing to have everything going right in one event at the right time is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
“It meant so much to get this right this time. After the celebrations and everything is back to normal, its business as usual. Great boat, great team looking forward to the next regatta in Melbourne, and the next Sydney Hobart.”
Had the protest against Two True been upheld, Sandringham Yacht Club and Sundance Yacht Sales customer Mike Welsh and his First 40 crew on Wicked would have been the winner.
Mike Welsh said after hearing that he may be the winner by default said, "I did not want to win a race like this on a protest against a similar boat that sailed a better race". Fortunately, he was not put to the test and is very happy with the outcome.
"To us it would be a very hollow victory because they beat us across the line; they beat us fair and square and I seriously would like to see the guys win the race. However, we are quite prepared to accept the trophy if that is how it works out ". Welsh said.
Mark Welsh, boat manager and tactician on Wicked for his owner-skipper father Mike Welsh, said: "We chose the design after a lot of searching around the world for one that would be very competitive in IRC racing and with results like this it looks like we might have chosen successfully."
This is the second time a Beneteau design has won the race, Michael Spies skippered his Beneteau 40.7, First National Real Estate to a win in 2003. It's a fair bet that this year won't be the last time we see a Beneteau take the silverware, and look forward to next years race!
