HEAVEN CREW TAKES GRIP OF SERIES.

by Ian Grant on 5 Jan 2001 Heaven Can Wait sailed well above her IRC rating off Coffs Harbour today to become a clear leader in the five race Strathfield Ocean Racing series.

The Hugh Welbourne designed 50 purpose designed to suit the deck and rig of the former IOR 50 of the same name was in a class of her own in today's perfect 15-18 knot sea breeze.

Sure Heaven Can Wait was unmatched in her ultimate sailing velocity that enabled the racing team to seal a stronger grip on the class championship trophy with her 4 minute 39 second win over Yeah Baby with another 20 seconds to third placed Braveheart the Jutson 50 skippered by Bill Miecklejohn.

They needed to produce this result to shed off the challengers.

Prior the race Heaven Can Wait led the series on count back from the Warren Weickman helmed Farr 40 OD Leroy Brown.

But by the end of the windward beat to clear South Solitary Island she was a clear leader.

Out sailing an interesting fleet of designs ranging from the one design Sydney 38's and the Farr 40's to a mix of re-rated former IMS class yachts including the previous Hamilton Island Race Week champions Quest and No Fear.

In class performance the match racing Sydney 38's led by Yeah Baby, Blow Fly, The Big Picture and Obsession finished with another consistent overall result filling four of the top seven on corrected time.

The adrenalins were in overdrive on the decks of the Sydney 38's when Anthony Hooper steered The Big Picture to a narrow one-second victory over their match racing rivals on the Michael Jones helmed Obsession after 2 hours 51 minutes 26 seconds of racing.