Entries for the 2024 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC) to be held on the weekend of 23 and 24 November are flourishing across the board.

Craig Neil (Quest) and Gordon Ketelebey (Zen) were quick off the mark in signing their TP52’s up for the Super 50 division. Ketelebey finished second in the Premier IRC class in 2023, but this time will face-off against class mates, meaning tighter racing. Entries from Marcus Blackmore (with his latest Hooligan) and Mark Spring (Highly Sprung) followed.

“I did the SSORC a couple of years ago and I’m looking forward to doing it again,” Neil said. “There are more TPs coming too,” Neil said with his president of the Australian TP52 Sailing Association hat on.

“We haven’t done any windward/leeward racing since May, so the SSORC gives us a chance to get back into grand prix style racing again. We’re doing one day of windward/leewards and a passage race. That is the plan at the moment.

“That’s what most TP52 owners are interested in these days, windward/leewards. And they are exciting because the racing is so close – only seconds in it at mark roundings and the finish.”

The 47^th running of SSORC, organised by Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC), will be the final hit out for the TP52 circuit season in 2024: “Next is the TP52 Gold Cup series next year. It’ll be mostly windward/leeward racing with the odd 20 mile passage race thrown in,” Neil ended.

And while some of the usual supporters, Bob Cox (Nine Dragons), Ian Box (Toybox 2), Rob Aldis (Khaleesi) and Colin Gunn and Jack Stening (Gusto) got their entries in early for the Premier IRC and ORCi classes, so did a couple of ‘newbies’.

Peter Lowndes is bringing his Lyons 49, Wine Dark Sea, for the first time. The boat underwent some changes last year, including the installation of a new mast and being set up for double handed racing.

“We’ve been doing inshore racing and the Ocean Pointscore this year, as part of our long term goal to do the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart (the 80^th running),” said Lowndes, who is a prolific sailor on the Sydney scene and Queensland, where Wine Dark Sea competes most years.

“I can’t remember if I’ve done the SSORC before, but certainly not with my own boat. I’ve sailed on other boats and we may have done it years ago… Our sailing calendar has been so busy over the years, it’s hard to remember it all!

“I’m always keen to take on a new regatta and new courses and race against a wider fleet. I’ll get that chance with the SSORC,” Lowndes ended.

Another familiar face in racing circles is Peter Sorensen. A versatile sailor across multiple classes from 16 foot skiffs to Sydney 38s and offshore racing yachts, ‘Sorro’ has opted for an Adams 10 this time. The former Eat My Shorts/Get It On, is now named Deep Philosophy, a play on his previous yachts’ names.

Last owned by formidable sailor, Garry Holt who leaves nothing to chance, the boat is perfectly set up.

The master of many classes, Sorro could finally meet his waterloo in the Adams 10 class, as it is rife with talented sailors. However, a mix of windward/leeward and a passage race may well suit Sorro and others of his calibre.

“The Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship is one of the highlights of our partnership with Middle Harbour Yacht Club," said Nautilus Marine Insurance CEO Lyndon Turner.

"Two days of close racing just off Sydney. Yacht owners and crew members enjoying their passion for being on the water with an enthusiasm that is so aligned with Nautilus Marine Insurance. It is a celebration of sailing and a chance to share our insurance expertise directly with the regatta participants and Middle Harbour Yacht Club members.” 

Spectators on the water and ashore will be treated to a spectacle as both day’s races will start and finish in Watsons Bay. Camp Cove and the walkway around the headland are perfect land viewing platforms.

Standard entries for NMISSORC close on Friday 15 November, so hurry. Late entries will be accepted up until Wednesday 20 November.

For entry and Notice of Race, please visit: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au 

Di Pearson/MHYC media

Day 1 of the 2024 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC) could not have been any better - a beautiful north-easterly sea breeze on a sunny hot day was the perfect way to brush off the cobwebs and enjoy a day offshore.  

Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC), organiser of the annual event now in its 47th year, set a course to Lion Island, north of Sydney. Steele Point in Vaucluse was the scene for a 10am start.  

Six boats faced off in the Super 50s and Marcus Blackmore s Hooligan came out on top by five minutes to Craig Neil s Quest. Local yachtie, Gordon Ketelebey scored third with Zen.

Blackmore was not aboard, he's on True North supporting the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Martin Hill was over the moon to be asked to skipper Hooligan this weekend. According to the boat s coach, Terry Wetton,  You can't wipe the smile of Martin s face. 

And fortunately, Hill lived up to the owner and his boat's reputation!

"What a dream come true to sail on a brand new TP52 on a beautiful day," Hill said.  "To step on a well-prepared boat - I'm very lucky  - it s hard to describe how it feels to get a chance like this. After sailing a Farr 40, Etchells and other boats, the first things you notice is going 9 knots upwind and then ripping along at 17 knots downwind."

Sailing up to Lion Island on sparkling water and a blue sunny sky was beautiful. It brought back great memories of sailing up there before,  Hill enthused. Hill and Blackmore will be thrilled to know Hooligan also won the Gun Boat Trophy as the line honours winner for the race.

There are two divisions in the IRC/ORC Premier classes representing all major clubs on Sydney Harbour as well as Pittwater and Cronulla. 

David Ross proved hard to beat, sailing his Cape 31, Kukukerchu, to a near five minute win over the DK46, Khaleesi, owned by MHYC Commodore, Rob Aldis. Of course, the other DK46 and Aldis' clubmate, Nine Dragons (Bob Cox), was third - the two are well-performed rivals.

 "It was great conditions, a bit tricky in terms of the sea state with the nor' easterly breeze making it a bit choppy. It was a little bit hard on the little boat going to windward, but we certainly made up for it downwind," Ross said.

"We saw 19 knots, with the odd gusts a bit more. Our top boat speed was 18 knots, it was fun, but a bit tiring for an old bloke," he said laughing. 

"It's a really nice fleet here, the wind was up, the sun was shining, everyone having a good time and we won IRC and ORC. Summer's here and the committee did a great job," Ross said.

Division 2 went to Peter Farrugia and his Bull 9000, Bullwinkle from Pittwater. Bullwinkle edged out regular foe, Foreign Affair, a Farr 30 belonging to Matt Wilkinson. Third was Neil Padden's Wailea, a Beneteau First 40.7 that is a regular on the podium. 

Peter Farrugia: "We got away to a good start and left the Heads with bigger boats. We found pace and conditions were fabulous. We did a few things right. Heading to Long Reef, we had a fairly good run going in on starboard tack, then came out on port and took some time out of Wailea and Foreign Affair - we usually have tough competition with them."

Bullwinkle kept up the pace all the way to Lion Island, then cracked sheets, put the kite up and kept the foot to the pedal. 

"The fun time was a starboard gybe doing 16 knots sailing down the Harbour. It was a pretty hairy gybe at the end coming to the finish. We just made it, kept it under control with good crew work. A big thanks goes to our tactician, Tim Meyrick, who made some great calls."

Farrugia continued, "This is a nice way to kick off our season. It starts with the SSORC, then the Pittwater Regatta in February, the Sydney Harbour Regatta in March and then Sail Port Stephens at the end of March."  

Joining those from Sydney's major clubs is Clockwork, a Sydney 38 from South Australia, sailing in Division 1. Her owners, Andrew Lloyd and Mary Ann Harvey, are living up to their promise of racing in all the majors on local waters, Queensland, Victoria, Sydney and Hobart - next up is the Rolex Sydney Hobart for a second year running, which will tick all the boxes. 

Tomorrow, yachts and crews will be put through their paces through two windward/leeward offshore races starting from 11am.

Sailed in conjunction with the SSORC, the Seven Islands Race tested competitors across two divisions. With a pursuit start off MHYC, first home wins. Division 1 went the way of Peter Charteris' Kailani from Don Colantonio's Trilogy and Derek Minihane's Impulse in a magic day on Sydney Harbour - you couldn't fault it and the scenery on such a day was spectacular.       

Division 2 went to Susan Rice's Nawi from Martyn Colebrook's Slac-N-Off and last year s winner, Innamincka, owned by John Crawford. 

For full results and all information on the SSORC, please visit: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au  

Di Pearson/MHYC media
 

Photos by Andrea Francolini