History is made in the 17th Sydney to Gold Coast Race

by Lisa Ratcliff on 31 Jul 2002 It's official. For the first time in the 17-year history of the Sydney to Gold Coast Race there have been no retirements, a fact confirmed by Race Control volunteers Doug Lee and Gail Garrard who have both finished every race from the De Ville Apartments at Main Beach since 1986.

'It's the first time all vessels have finished within the allotted race time,' said Lee this morning as the weary team of three volunteers, who have worked round the clock for the last four days, waited for the final yacht in the 60-strong fleet to finish. Dennis Krawchuk's 36-footer Panache, crossed the finish line at 8.45am this morning.

Trophies for the Sydney to Gold Coast Race will be presented today at 1330hours at Southport Yacht Club. Immediately prior to the race presentation, the CYCA's Safety of Life at Sea Trust, set up following the tragic 1998 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, will donate a significant amount to RACQ CareFlight for a multi-frequency Aircraft Direction Finder.

Terry Mullens' Farr 49 Sting will today be announced IMS overall winner, a brilliant result for the owner and his 11-year-old son Clay, who joined his father for his first ocean race and steered the former Sydney Hobart Yacht Race winner over the finish line in the early hours of Tuesday.

'The commitment from the crew was fantastic and we plan to keep the same squad for this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Race,' said Terry Mullens from Sydney this morning.

'Our win is particularly significant because 27-year-old crewmember Harry Rourke, who should have been on board for this race, was killed in an accident four weeks ago on Lord Howe Island,' he added.

Second in IMS overall and IMS Division A is Syd Fisher's Ragamuffin, who enjoyed a close tussle with Sting over the 386 nautical mile race. George Snow's Brindabella finished third on IMS overall and in Division, as well as finishing third over the line following the disqualification of Grant Wharington's Australian Skandia Wild Thing.

In IMS Division B, Michael Spies and Ken Dunnett's P&O Nedlloyd has beaten the larger Beneteau Antipodes (Greg Newton) and Chris Bowling's Red Rock Communications, the equal smallest boat the fleet at 30-feet.

On IRC, the handicap system with the most entries, three Farr designs took out top placings in Division A with Ray Roberts' Farr 52 Hollywood Boulevard beating Ragamuffin and Sting.

'It was a tough tactical race trying to pick when the sea breeze would fade and the night breeze would fill in,' said Roberts this morning. 'We are delighted with our result.'

In IRC Division B, the Sydney 38 London Tavern (Justin Lambeth), one of 14 of these popular One Designs boats to enter, won its division ahead of Andrew Short Marine (Andrew Short) and Hidden Agenda (Graham Gibson), also Sydney 38 designs.

In IRC Division C, P&O Nedlloyd placed first ahead of Red Rock Communications and Impeccable (John Walker).

For the first time in this race, yachts were able to enter both IMS and IRC divisions, a decision that proved popular and will be carried over to this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

The PHS Division winner is Robert Green's X-Citation, which placed first on handicap at almost every position report, ahead of Nick Delaine's X-442 Delight and Randal Wilson's Peterson 50 Bright Morning Star.

Owner/skipper Sean Langman will today be presented with the line honours trophy for his win in his 66-footer Grundig with an elapsed time of 2 days, 1 hour, 20 minutes and 6 seconds for the 386 nautical mile race.

Offiical Results for the 2002 Sydney to Gold Coast Yacht Race

Line Honours - elapsed time of 2 day 1 hours 20 minutes 6 secs: Grundig - Sean Langman, CYCA

IMS Overall & IMS Division A

1. Terry Mullens, CYCA

2. Ragamuffin - Syd Fischer, CYCA

3. Brindabella - George Snow, CYCA

IMS Division B

1. P & O Nedlloyd Shipping Central, CYCA

2. Antipodes Australia - Greg Newton, RSYS

3. Red Rock Communications - Chris Bowling, Drummoyne SC

IRC Division A

1. Hollywood Boulevard - Ray Roberts, CYCA

2. Ragamuffin - Syd Fischer, CYCA

3. Sting - Terry Mullens, CYCA

IRC Division B

1. London Tavern - Justin Lambeth, RPAYC

2. Andrew Short Marine - Andrew Short, CYCA

3. Hidden Agenda - Graham Gibson, CYCA

IRC Division C

1. P & O Nedlloyd Shipping Central - Ken Dunnett & Michael Spies, CYCA

2. Red Rock Communications - Chris Bowling, DSC

3. Impeccable - John Walker, MHYC

PHS Division 1

1. X-Citation - Robert Green, MHYC

2. Delight - Nick Delaine, RPAYC

3. Bright Morning Star - Randal Wilson, SASC