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Just Grace and Wayne North add Princess Royal Sailing Club’s Cock of the Harbour title to their Gallipoli Cup

Des BeeckAlbany Advertiser
Just Grace, skippered by Wayne North, crosses the line to win the Cock of the Harbour race at Princess Royal Sailing Club.
Camera IconJust Grace, skippered by Wayne North, crosses the line to win the Cock of the Harbour race at Princess Royal Sailing Club. Credit: Des Beeck

Fresh from winning the Gallipoli Cup, Wayne North triumphed again to take the title Cock of the Harbour at the Princess Royal Sailing club last Saturday.

Sailing Just Grace with a skeleton crew of one, North set off alongside Mary Maitland and Stephen Brown in the handicap start of the harbour course event.

Eight yachts from the mixed keel fleet tackled the fluctuating south-easterly which ranged between eight and 10 knots for most of the contest.

Zuri had some anxious moments with the spinnaker.
Camera IconZuri had some anxious moments with the spinnaker. Credit: Des Beeck

Limit boat Ines, under Alastair Knowlden, was first away and he held the lead for quite a spell.

Neil Worrell was away in Zuri a moment later, surviving a few anxious minutes as he hoisted his spinnaker, with North and Brown next to go.

Mark McRae and Sicarius, and then Stephen Lee in Flasheart began together a minute later just before Chris Oldham in Joker.

There was a long wait before Jesse James, the scratch boat, set off in pursuit of the fleet, a seemingly impossible task.

Just Grace, with its generous handicap, eventually surged in front and stayed there unchallenged to the finish.

Ines was holding on to second spot until Sicarius took over and there was a mighty battle between Flasheart, Joker and Zuri – even though none was likely to get a place.

Harold Keay, Commodore Brett Hawker and skipper Wayne North after the Cock of the Harbour race.
Camera IconHarold Keay, Commodore Brett Hawker and skipper Wayne North after the Cock of the Harbour race. Credit: Des Beeck

Sicarius was second behind Just Grace with Ines enjoying a fine race in finishing third.

Jesse James recorded the fastest time.

This weekend will have the running of the first heat of the club’s winter series.

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