Derwent crew faces gruelling summer

DERWENT Sailing Squadron’s Shaun Tiedemann has set an ambitious program this summer for his champion yacht Philosopher and her crew, entering all Combined Club pennant races on the Derwent, the Launceston to Hobart and the Australian Yachting Championships in Melbourne.

Philosopher is already in form, scoring IRC and AMS handicap victories in Wednesday’s overnight race to the Isle of Caves and return, following an AMS category win in last Saturday’s Combined Clubs Inshore Series. Philosopher sailed an excellent night race in the Isle of Caves race, winning the IRC category from Sydney-Hobart entrant Black Sheep, skippered by Rob Gourlay, and Zephyr (Ian Johnston).

Black Sheep, a Beneteau 45, also took line honours, by just 34 seconds from Filepro (Tim Gadsby).

Philosopher also won the AMS category on corrected time, with second place going to former Sydney-Hobart race winner Ultimate Challenge, now owned by Peter Jenkins.

Ultimate Challenge won the PHS category of the Isle of Caves Race, Jim Thorpe’s Hydrotherapy took second place and Filepro was third. In Division 2, Wildfire, skippered by Malcolm Robinson, won from Crescendo and Off-Piste.

Today will see Bellerive Yacht Club conduct race two of the Combined Clubs Summer Pennant, a long day race with a mid-river start at 10am, finishing off Victoria Esplanade, Bellerive.

The entry of Tilt, the fast Martens 49, has increased the fleet for the Summer Pennants to 51 boats with Divisions 1, 2 and 3 now all having an IRC category as well as AMS and PHS. Fresh to strong southwesterly winds are forecast .