Denis Doyle's X-412 Sextant ACE Marine Photography

Denis Doyle and Lynne Smith’s X-412 Sextant secured the double IRC and PHS division win in race nine of the Grant Thornton Short Haul Pointscore Series.

Relishing the lighter conditions, Sextant together with George Girdis’ Jarkan 12.5 Marloo, Scott and Troy Dillon’s Beneteau 44.7 CMist and Steve and Michelle Hatch’s M, led the fleet out of the harbour.

PRO Denis Thompson sent the short haul fleet north to a mark off Dee Why headland and back finishing in Watsons Bay. Sextant  Marloo and M led the fleet out of the harbour and around North Head, with some tight racing all the way to the mark at Dee Why.

The lead pack got away from the rest of the fleet as the breeze strengthened to 12 – 13 knots with Marloo taking line honours by 1 minute and 46 seconds from Sextant, with CMist finishing third 37 seconds behind.

"I was very pleased to come away with the dual win today,” said Denis Doyle.

"We were able to maintain our speed all the way around the course today with the steady easterly breeze. It was good to finally beat David Champtaloup’s classic Caprice of Huon and break her winning streak,” said Doyle

"Congratulations to Scott Finsten who laid the Dee Why mark with pin point accuracy. With four boats all jostling for the lead any mistake could have cost us vital seconds and possible places.

"The big difference for us today was the strong contingent of regular crew members who were able to sail the boat to her best in the smooth waters and steady breeze,” concluded Doyle.

M finished second behind Sextant in the IRC division with Jon Short and Miles Bastick’s MRX finishing strongly to take out third position, with Caprice of Huon relegated to fourth position.

Caprice of Huon is the clear leader in the Grant Thornton Short Haul Spring IRC Pointscore, currently sitting on five points, with Sextant and MRX tied for second on 13 points. One race remains in the Spring Pointscore series which will be sailed in two weeks time.

In the PHS Division, Marloo finished second in today’s race with CMist third. John and Kim Clinton’s Beneteau Oceanis 50 Holy Cow! leads the Grant Thornton Short Haul Spring PHS Pointscore by three points from Caprice of Huon, with MRX in third a further two points behind.

For full pointscore results click here

	Annette and Robin Hawthorn's Beneteau 47.7 Imagination David Brogan

In the Grant Thornton Short Ocean Pointscore Race, Ray Entwistle’s J/122 Jackpot secured wins in IRC Division 1 and PHS Division 1. Entwistle was also awarded the David Burke Memorial Trophy.

The David Burke Memorial Trophy is sailed in honour of David Burke who was a keen yachtsman, having started sailing at MHYC in the 1960s.

David was one of the first Australians to embrace the overseas trail as a professional yachtsman, having taken the lead set by local sailors, Jim Burke, Norm Hyatt & Colin Betts. David spent time sailing on the well known yachts Apollo and Ballyhoo which Jack Rooklyn campaigned.

The trophy was first presented to Middle Harbour Yacht Club and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in 1977, by David’s sailing friends from around the world after David was tragically killed in a car accident in Fiji in 1977.

"Jackpot just reveled in the conditions," said Ray Entwistle. "We kept back a little at the start which allowed us to come in at the committee boat end and tack into clean air.

"It paid to keep left out of the heads and we rounded the top mark just after UBS Wild Thing. 

"We just had a great day sailing.  Thanks to our crew for their consistent effort and skill which really made this race series," concluded Entwistle.

Annette and Robin Hawthorn’s Beneteau 47.7 Imagination finished second in IRC Division 1 with Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas’ modified Farr 40 AFR Midnight Rambler third.

Matthew Short's TP52 Shortwave had a tough race after being fouled by an abandoned anchor and ropev wrapped around their keel just after the start. 

Tim Cox’s J35 Soundtrack, skippered by his son Edward, finished first in IRC Division 3 with John Taylor’s Allegro second and John Markos and Michael Delaney’s Sydney 36CR Eye Appeal third.

In PHS Division 1 Imagination also scored another second place behind Jackpot with Rod Wills X-43 Great Xpectations third.

In PHS Division 3 Elesa and Phil Bennett’s King Billy placed first, with Soundtrack second and Gregg Daven’s Marigot Bay third.

Jackpot has secured the Grant Thornton Short Ocean Spring IRC Division 1 Pointscore Series from AFR Midnight Rambler,  and Shortwave.

Soundtrack won the Grant Thornton Short Ocean IRC Division 3 Spring Pointscore from Crosshaven and Eye Appeal.

Annette and Robin Hawthorn's Imagination wins the PHS Division 1 Grant Thornton Short Ocean Spring Pointscore from Jackpot with Shortwave third.

In PHS Division 3 of the Grant Thornton Short Ocean Spring Pointscore, Soundtrack took the win from Desmond Fagan’s Seaquest RP36 Lisdillon and Crosshaven.

For full series pointscores click here

By Jennifer Crooks