ADELAIDE TO LINCOLN

Teakle Classic 72nd Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race and Lincoln Week Regatta 18-24 February 2022

This year’s race had none of the Covid disruptions that impacted on over-the-border competitors last year. South Australia was well represented as always in the iconic Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race and many stayed on for the Regatta with the Port Lincoln Yacht Club welcoming SA boats from the CYCSA, RSAYS, and Goolwa Yacht Club. We were pleased to see the interstate boats included from NSW, Matt Allen’s Botin 52 Ichi Ban, competing for the fourth time in the race, this time after a record-breaking third win in the recent Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race in 2021, and increasing the numbers to three in Division 1 along with the two South Australian boats Geoff Boettcher’s PAC 52J/V Secret Mens Business and Nick George’s TP52 Another Hooligan, a wellmatched division destined to draw intense interest during racing. Victorian boats, all from Sandringham Yacht Club, included Rob Date’s new Carkeek 43 Scarlet Runner, Brett Averay’s popular Peterson 44 Bacardi here for the 5th time, Robert Green’s Pacific 50 Dream and Mike and Mark Welsh’s Beneteau First 40 Wicked, bringing strong challenges to the event which made for an exciting week of racing for both competitors and spectators. Two multihulls, Cicala and Venom, competed in their own series. The Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race began well in brisk south to south westerly winds and the strong run down Gulf St Vincent to the first corner promised a great race for the faster boats. The reach across the foot favoured the brave (and strong of stomach) and good times were recorded for many in the front half of the fleet. With the wind swinging round to come from the south east, the bigger boats had the advantage and once round Cape Spencer had perfect downwind runs to the finish, Ichi Ban taking line honours over Secret Mens Business and Another Hooligan. The rest of the fleet made its way through the night under a cloudy sky with occasional glimpses of a full moon until the wind dropped out in the morning making it difficult, especially for the smaller boats in Spencer Gulf, to make it to the finish line for breakfast. This is despite the long spinnaker runs up to Donington between the usual rocks, reefs and fish farms in the area. Cape Spencer undid a small number of well-laid plans and there were a few spinnakers that made their way to the local sail-maker for a stitch in time before the first race of the upcoming regatta. The regatta, held over four days, included two days of windward/leeward courses (Monday and Thursday), a long passage race on Tuesday - Division 1 round Taylors Island (39 nms) and Division 2 round Carcass Rock (30 nms) - and the Bay Race on Wednesday. Monday’s windward/leeward races took place on what can only be described as a perfect day for sailing on Boston Bay with winds between 10 and 15 knots and flat seas. Both races were set for two laps round the course. In Race 1, close competition in IRC in Div 1 saw Ichi Ban take first place 38 seconds in front of Secret Mens Business and in Div 2 Shining Sea take line honours but yielding first place to Wicked on handicap. AMS results put Secret Mens Business in first for Div 1 and Shining Sea in front of Dream in Div 2. On PHS Another Hooligan narrowly beat Ichi Ban in Div 1 while a tight lead on handicap placed Wicked in front of Dream in Div 2. In Div 3 Bacardi took a first on AMS and a second on PHS. Race 2 saw similar results with the addition of Papillon in Div 2, new to the RSAYS, taking second on

Photos courtesy of Down Under Sail

handicap to Wicked and in front of Dream. Kinetic Energy and School’s Out placed second and third behind Bacardi in Div 3. Tuesday morning shone with the promise of another great day’s sailing - perfect for the passage race with plenty of easterly winds around 14-15 knots. In Race 3, Div 1 boats were set for Taylor’s Island and impressive views of the coast out and back. Divs 2 and 3 embarked on the Carcass Rock course, some 30 nautical miles along the same coast up to Carcass. The kite run back to the Southern Beacon preluded a battle for first in each division. On IRC, Ichi Ban led Secret Mens Business and Another Hooligan in Div 1 while Shining Sea outshone Wicked and Scarlet Runner with a clear first. On AMS local boats - Another Hooligan then Secret Mens Business - finished in front of Sydney boat, Ichi Ban (the order of placings being repeated on PHS). Shining Sea took first over Papillon and 3 Cool Cats in Div 2 (Audacious beating Shining Sea and 3 Cool Cats on PHS). Div 3 saw Bacardi come in first ahead of Lincoln Mentor and Nerana on AMS while Lincoln Mentor finished before School’s Out and Nerana. Expectations were high on Wednesday for Race 4, the traditional Bay Race to Spalding Cove for an afternoon on the beach and Megga’s BBQ. Perfect weather. Perfect racing conditions. Perfect course. On such a day one has to agree that Lincoln Week in the waters off Port Lincoln provides a world class arena for yacht racing. With views of the National Park and a pristine beach to relax on at the end of the race we were very spoiled for both beauty and fun. While some ventured in for a swim, most stayed on the beach and socialised. All too soon the day came to an end and local ribs began to ferry us back to our boats for a leisurely run home. Results for the day show Ichi Ban and Shining Sea strengthening their grips on podium finishes in the overall regatta with other results remaining flexible. Thursday’s two windward/leewards made for strong competition on the last day of the regatta. Race 5 demonstrated the eagerness of a number of boats to get on with racing in 17 knots and this led to a black flag start in Division 2/3 and relatively more caution on the start line with one boat disqualified for an over-eager start. On IRC, clear Div 1 regatta rankings continued to emerge while PHS results suggested these could still be overturned. Race 6 - a great finishing race - demonstrated the competition was still fierce at this end of the week. On IRC, Ichi Ban cemented its position in front of Secret Mens Business followed by Another Hooligan in Div 1; Shining Sea proved too good to beat in Div 2 and took first with Wicked and Scarlet Runner coming in second and third. On AMS: Div 1 Ichi Ban won over Secret Mens Business and Another Hooligan; in Div 2 Shining Sea won over Dream and Papillon; Bacardi in Div 3 claimed first place followed by Lincoln Mentor and Born to Mentor. On PHS: Div 1 Another Hooligan turned the tables, winning, as did Dream in Div 2, and Bacardi in Div 3. As always we thank the Port Lincoln Yacht Club and its large team of volunteers for making the event possible again this year. As always the organisation was excellent. We are always welcomed and always well-looked after, reminding us each year that we are very fortunate to have this race available in South Australia and it was great to hear, in the interviews and videos circulating during the week, that so many competitors were keen to express their own huge appreciation for this great event.

Di Schwerdt

Venom

TEAKLE CLASSIC ADELAIDE TO LINCOLN RACE & LINCOLN REGATTA RESULTS

School’s Out

RACE RESULTS

Monohulls IRC Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan D1 AMS Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan D2 AMS Bacardi, Audacious, Lincoln Mentor D1 PHS Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Three Cool Cats D2 PHS Audacious, Bacardi, School’s Out ORC AP Ichi Ban, Scarlet Runner, Dream Multihulls - only two multihulls competed PHS Cicala, Venom OMR Venom

REGATTA RESULTS

Monohulls D1 IRC Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan D2 IRC Shining Sea, Wicked, Scarlet Runner D1 AMS Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan D2 AMS Shining Sea, Dream, Papillon D2 AMS Bacardi, Lincoln Mentor, Born to Mentor D1 PHS Another Hooligan, Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business D2 PHS Dream, Wicked, Shining Sea D3 PHS Bacardi, School’s Out, Lincoln Mentor ORC AP Wicked, Dream, Scarlet Runner Trailerable and Sports Boats D4 SMS Serial Pest, Punisher, Bohica D4 PHS Punisher, Serial Pest, Bohica