Philosopher on a roll
HOBART yachtsman Shaun Tiedemann, his talented crew and their champion boat Philosopher have capped off an outstanding summer-racing season by taking out a double handicap victory in the Bruny Island Race.
Since the end of December they have sailed Philosopher to IRC and AMS handicap vic- tories in the Maria Island Race and the Launceston to Hobart, followed by the Australian Yachting IRC Championships on Port Phillip, the Festival of Sails at Geelong and, yesterday, the JJ Richards Bruny Island Race.
Philosopher, a Sydney 36cr, finished fifth in fleet in what proved to be another challenging race — sometimes windless, often quite windy, frequently wet and always quite chilly at various times.
“It was a ripper trip in a fresh SSW breeze — over 35 knots at times across the bottom,” owner/skipper Tiedemann said, referring to rounding Cape Bruny at the southern tip of the island.
Philosopher’s crew included two teenage sailors having their first long ocean yacht race, Will Sargent (Lasers and match-racing) and Archer Ibbott (International Cadets).
In the IRC division, Philosopher won from line-honours winner Oskana (Mike Pritchard) and Filepro (Tim Gadsby). In AMS, The Fork in the Road (Gary Smith) placed second, Whistler (David Aplin) third. The Fork in the Road won the PHS division from Filepro and Philosopher, with Oskana fourth.