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12:47 PM Sun 4 Jan 2009 GMT
Veteran Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron member Gordon Ingate tomorrow (Monday, 5 January) will begin defending the prestigious Prince Philip Cup for International Dragon class yachts, which he won in Hobart 12 months ago at the age of 80.
The former Olympic, America's Cup and Admiral's Cup helmsman showed he has lost none of his sailing skills honed over nearly 70 years of competitive sailing by winning today's the Ted Albert Memorial Trophy.
Sailing on his home waters of Sydney Harbour in a summer nor'easterly seabreeze that freshened from 12 to 25 knots, gusting to 30 knots, Ingate steered Whim to victory in all three heats for a 3 points score.
His victory turned the tables on Tasmanian Nick Rogers who, on Saturday, beat Ingate 3-0 in the match-racing final of the Martin Graney Memorial Trophy event, also sailed in three-crew Dragon class yachts.
Today, Rogers, from Hobart's Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, had to be content with third place overall in the fleet racing Ted Albert Memorial, placing 2-6-3 with Karabos IX.
Mikhail Muratov, one of two Russian skippers contesting the Prince Philip Cup, surprised the largely Australian fleet with an impressive second overall, steering Murka 3 to a 4-4-2 score to finish on 10 points, one ahead of Rogers.
Fellow Russian Olga White, skippering Murka 9, placed ninth overall, scoring two 9th placings but failing to finish the final race as the nor'easter powered in at 25 knots.
Apart from Ingate, Carl Ryves, also a past Olympic sailor, was the best of the Sydney Dragon fleet, placing fourth overall with Sidewinder from placings of 3-8-6, while Tasmanian Andrew Crisp, sailing Kirribilli II, placed 6-5-7 to placing fifth overall.
After an 18th place in the first heat of the Albert Memorial, New Zealander Scott Palmer placed equal sixth with a third and a fourth in the next two heats.
All 24 boats entered for the seven heat Prince Philip Cup started in today's Ted Albert Memorial Trophy series, but only 13 started in or finished the final heat as the winds freshened to a Sydney Harbour 'black' nor'-easter.
Freshening nor'easterly winds, reaching 15-20 knots are again forecast for tomorrow (Monday) for the first heat of the Prince Philip Cup, which continues through to Saturday.
by Peter Campbell
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Lord Howe Island Windy Point, NSW
