Hotly contested Gallipoli Cup as Wayne North skippers Frequent Flyer to victory in Anzac event

Flying Fifteen skippers were the standouts in last Saturday’s Gallipoli Cup race when they took both first and second places in a combined fleets’ flying start harbour course event.

The competition for the Gallipoli Cup is always held on the Saturday closest to Anzac Day and three fleets were engaged in the hotly contested race which was conducted in a steady easterly about 17 knots which meant quick times around the harbour marks.

Division one yachts naturally were well ahead and those three were having a race within the race with the lead changing several times as Murray Deere in Wild One had his work cut out trying to shake off a determined Shagabull skippered by Harold Keay.

Geoff Oliver was right in the mix with Excitabull and actually did the best on handicap.

Wayne North in Frequent Flyer was the dark horse as he went about doing well on all legs and kept improving throughout the race.

Simon Lucas took the helm on Crazy with Aileen Lucas as crew and they were doing extremely well against the bigger boats.

Chris Oldham skippering Josh Hughes’ Joker had the better of his division two opponents, Stephen Lee in Flasheart and Neil Worrell in Zuri, and finished well ahead.

Oldham only had the Flying Fifteens to beat but just missed out.

North was still doing well as they headed for the finish with Joker fractionally ahead but he had done enough on handicap to sail to victory in one of his better performances.

Crazy was second in a fine effort and Joker in a great chase took third place.

The fastest time was recorded by Murray Deere in Wild One.