Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2003 - Yendys' Five On The Trot In Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Lead-up
Sydney/ Hobart, AUS

Sydney businessman Geoffrey Ross has returned to ocean racing with a blast, winning five consecutive races with his new Yendys in the grand prix IMS division of the Rolex Trophy Series being sailed offshore from Sydney.

The Judel-Vrolijk 52 placed fourth on corrected time in the fluky breeze first race yesterday, won the next two and today has outsailed the fleet in all three races.

She looks all but unbeatable in the Rolex Trophy Series with two races to sail tomorrow, as does Matt Allen's Farr 52, Ichi Ban, in the IRC division which had three straight wins today.

In fact, it was a green and gold day on the Tasman Sea off Sydney Heads - Yendys has a striking grand prix racing green hull, Ichi Ban is metallic gold.

Both boats were brilliantly sailed today in extremely difficult conditions that required attentive steering and constant sail trimming to main optimum boatspeed in the light to moderate east-south-easterly breeze and short, lumpy seas.

In dominating their divisions so convincingly in this final regatta before the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts on Boxing Day the two boats are laying strong claims to pre-race favouritism.

"Our focus is very much on the Hobart," Matt Allen says, "and a series like this is very useful. It gets the boat and the crew on the edge and exposes anything that needs fixing."

For Geoff Ross this Rolex Trophy Series has been crucial. "We've had the boat less than three weeks. We've only sailed her in six races, ever. But this is a very good boat and the crew is working very well together."

Geoff won the 1999 Sydney Hobart Race overall with his previous Yendys and, returning to live in Sydney after a stint in Hong Kong, set his sights on again winning the historic Tattersalls Cup.

He has a special family attachment to Hobart as the maternal founder of the Ross family in Australia arrived there "on a seven year paid holiday" (as a female convict) in 1836, hence the sail number of Yendys is 1836.

Ross has put together top professional team that includes Grant Simmer, navigator on Australia II in the 1983 America's Cup win and now Director of Sailing for Alinghi in the Swiss syndicate's defence of the America's Cup. Also in the crew are Neal and Lisa McDonald, the English sailing couple who each skippered a boat in the last Volvo Ocean Race around the world.

Steering the boat today was Tasmanian Julian Freeman, regarded as one of Australia's best ocean racing helmsmen.

With the IMS division winner also the outright winner of the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Ross is starting to fancy his chances, but Matt Allen also has that trophy in his sights. Ichi Ban may be trailing Yendys in the IMS division of the Rolex Trophy, but Allen is confident that he can turn the tables in the long ocean race.

"Ichi Ban is not a round the buoys IMS boat but the ocean is a whole different ball game. These have been perfect conditions for Yendys. She is a very good boat upwind. But downhill we can get time on her, and reaching we can get her too," he says.

Ross just thinks its early days, and his boat is going to get better and better. "We haven't even had a chance to put up all our sails yet," he quips.

Allen also has an outstanding crew, mainly locals, with two-times Sydney Hobart race winner Roger Hickman as sailing master. Allen also returned to Australia after heading an international bank and bought Ichi Ban last year.

An excellent helmsman in his own right, he steered the boat for most of the time in today's races.

It's clear. Allen would like a fast, reaching Hobart while Ross would like a bit of windward work. "You always get at least one southerly change in a Hobart race," he smiles.

After six races, Yendys with winning five out of six, is on 280 points, well clear of veteran Syd Fischer in his Farr 50, Ragamuffin, on 266 points. A close third overall, on 264 points in the IMS division is Ichi Ban which, like Ragamuffin, is a dual entry in IMS and IRC. Yendys is contesting IMS only.

In the IRC Division, Ichi Ban has 278 points on the board, scoring three firsts today after yesterday's 1,4,2 placings. Grant Wharington's line honours dominator, Skandia, holds second place overall with good handicap placings again today, to be on 266 points.

The consistent Swan 45, Joe, skippered by Steven David, is third overall on 264 points, followed by Ragamuffin on 258 points and Nips N Tux (Howard de Torres) on 257 points.

While not looking forward to the Hobart competition in the Farr 40 division of the Rolex Trophy has been just as intense, with no skipper as yet able to establish dominance.

At the end of the second day Neville Crichton, helming Team Shockwave, leads the class on 12 points, 5 clear of nearest rival Rapscallion (Dick Voorderhake). US champion James Richardson is a further 2 points adrift in Barking Mad, but with two races left and the competition so tight it is still anyone's regatta.