Loki takes the lead at Skandia Docklands Invitational

11:19 AM Wed 21 Jan 2009 GMT

'Loki. Skandia Geelong Week 2009 - Skandia Docklands Invitational' Teri Dodds &copy Click Here to view large photo

Loki, Limit and Living Doll have thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the Skandia Docklands Invitational fleet in Melbourne.

Alan Brierty's Limit from Western Australia, a Reichel Pugh 62, enjoyed close competition with Stephen Ainsworth's spanking new Reichel Pugh 63 Loki, in the recent Rolex Sydney Hobart, which saw Brierty beating Ainsworth over the line in Hobart with Limit finishing seventh on handicap, ahead of Loki's eighth. As expected, Ainsworth and his crew are keen to even the score during this two day regatta and two firsts from two races have quickly established Loki as the yacht to beat in a top quality IRC fleet.

Seventeen of the country's best yachts were invited to compete in the prestigious five-race series, a hallmark event run in conjunction with Skandia Geelong Week, Victoria's oldest sporting event.

In race one Grant Wharington's Super Maxi Skandia Wild Thing timed the start well in a ten knot SE sea breeze but the majority of the eager fleet didn't manage the task as neatly, forcing a general recall. A cautious restart saw Alan Whiteley's TP52 Cougar II and Michael Hiatt's Farr 55 Living Doll miss the pin while Loki, Limit and Peter Harburg's impressive Reichel Pugh 66 Black Jack charged ahead to the first mark in the wake of Skandia Wild Thing. Mid-fleet, the battle of the 46 footers commanded attention where three DK46's, Dekadence, Exile from South Australia and eXtasea enjoyed match racing each other and close competition with two Reichel Pugh 46's XLR8 and Shamrock.

A clear start in a building breeze saw Loki on a fine beat in hot pursuit of Wharington's 98 footer and Black Jack in race two. A 25 degree wind shift forced a course change mid-race and the 17 knot sea breeze which held until the finish, produced an exciting final downwind leg. The Living Doll team seem to have overcome the teething problems which caused delays to their racing program and Michael Hiatt would have been pleased with a third place result in race one and a second place result in race two of the Farr 55's debut regatta. Black Jack and Cougar II round out the top five positions in the series score to date.

In contrast to the sunny skies and flat water enjoyed by today's fleet, the fresher breezes predicted for day two will test crews and set the scene for another exciting day of racing on Port Philip for the premier Skandia Docklands Invitational fleet.

by Traci Ayris - Skandia Geelong Week Media

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Loki takes the lead at Skandia Docklands Invitational

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