Cup call puts wind in the sails of crew

TASMANIA’S reigning Sydney-Hobart Two-Handed champions say the move to open the Tattersalls Cup as overall winner on handicap to “short-handed” crews this year is a major change and could be more incentive to go harder on their yacht, Sidewinder.

When Hobart sailors John Saul and Rob Gough claimed line honours as inaugural winners of the Sydney-Hobart’s Two-Handed event last summer, they were ineligible to claim either of the race’s two major awards.

However, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has announced it would open up the 628 nautical mile blue water classic for two-handed crews to win the race on overall handicap and get their hands on the coveted Tattersalls Cup and also be in the running to win the Illingworth Cup as line honours winner, as unlikely as that might be.

Sidewinder co-owner John Saul said it was major recognition of the fast-growing class that made a huge first impression on the SydneyHobart.

“It’s certainly great that two-handed sailing is respected across all of the Australian sailing community,” Saul said.

“We are very much a large part of the sport now, being the second-biggest class in the Sydney-Hobart divisions last summer, so it is most welcome.”

Saul believes the rule opens opportunities for a broader fleet.

“Personally, I just like being on the water. We all like sailing for different reasons, some will see it as an incentive and for others who just like sailing it won’t make any difference.”

One of five Tasmanian entries in last year’s race, Sidewinder covered the journey in 4 days 7 hours 12 minutes in the slowest Sydney-Hobart race in 17 years and posted a corrected well out of contention for handicap honours.

CYCA Commodore Noel Cornish said a club working group had investigated the change and gave it the green light.

“The growing popularity of two-handed sailing was particularly evident in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with almost 20 per cent of the fleet made up of two-handed crews,” Cornish said.

The CYCA ruled that only two-handed yachts with auto pilots operating their stern rudders are eligble for the Tattersalls Cup as well as line honours, and two-handed yachts with unrestricted auto pilots are eligble only for Performance Handicap honours and overall line honours.

“We look forward to welcoming two-handed crews from across Australia and abroad for CYCA races in 2022, including the Sydney Gold Coast, the Rolex Sydney Hobart and the Sydney Blue Water Pointscore races,” Cornish said.

Entries open for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race next week.