By Mick Gwilliams  

The final three races of the Exemplar Coaches & Limousines Clipper Cup 2010 sailing regatta concluded on the weekend. Once again very light winds for both race 4 and 5 on Saturday proved to be a major challenge for the ten yachts competing.

Big Ice was the leading contender again taking the line ahead of the field in both legs.  With a shortened course for the morning race first place on corrected time went to Skulduggery followed by Mais Oui and Jimmie Blacksmith.

The afternoon breeze gave the boats a little more to work with and the light and variable conditions again proved favourable to the smaller boats with corrected times placing Skulduggery first followed by Mais Oui and the all girl crew on Groove coming in third.

The SE winds picked up on Sunday providing excellent conditions for the two island passage race rounding Snapper Island and Low Isles. High drama on the start line as crews jostled for position provided an alarming spectacle as five vessels all tried to force their way over the start line at the same point.

The windward mark was rounded and the spinnakers all began to fly as the fleet turned downwind towards Snapper Island. Big Ice displayed blistering speed as she left the fleet in her wake and many of the crews struggled to control their big colourful sails in the gusting breeze.

Jimmie Blacksmith was forced to retire with damaged rigging as she encountered the strong breeze on the northern side of Snapper and the fleet was split as each crew tried to pick the best course into the wind to make it to Low Isles.

With several boats still in contention for the series title the final race concluded with considerable difference between actual finishing times for all the boats. This left everyone guessing as to how the handicap system would determine the overall podium positions.

Placings for race 6 were awarded to Big Ice first and Skulduggery third with major sponsor Exemplar Coaches and Limousines’, Gordon and Cheryl Welham taking second on Kai Lani.

A fabulous evening’s entertainment provided by Spinnakers Restaurant and Port Douglas Yacht Club was enjoyed by all culminating with the presentation of the prestigious Exemplar Clipper Cup.

In what turned out to be a very tight finish the Cairns based Skulduggery skippered by Doug Ahola claimed the $1,000 cash prize and the Exemplar Clipper Cup beating Mal Richardson on Big Ice by only half a point ahead of Belinda Cooper on Groove 8 points off in third.

Skippers and organisers praised the turn out for the event and the resurgence of the sport in the region highlighting the dedication of the volunteers behind the scenes and the involvement of the Coastguard in assisting with the laying of the buoys.

Yacht racing continues when the PDYC Winter Series resumes in June.