Return of the Southern Cross Cup

Hobart, Tasmania (January 1, 2020) – The return of the Southern Cross Cup in conjunction with the 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has seen victory go to the Australian Yellow team made up of Ichi Ban, Gweilo, and St Jude.

With Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban winning the 628 nautical mile race for a second time and Matt Donald and Chris Townsend’s Gweilo finishing second overall, the team was always going to be hard to beat. But the win came down to Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Vice Commodore Noel Cornish’s finish with St Jude, which finished 39th overall to win Division 3.

Second was the Derwent Sailing Club team of Phillip Turner’s Alive, Shaun Tiedemann’s Willie Smith’s Philosopher, and Greg Prescott’s 2 Unlimited). Third was the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Black team of Quest (Craig Neil/Bob Steel), Chinese Whisper (David Griffith), and Wots Next (Charles Cupit). There were 19 other teams vying for victory and the perpetual trophy.

Modeled on the Admiral’s Cup in the United Kingdom, the inaugural Southern Cross Cup was in 1967 and discontinued in 2001, before a one-off return in 2013 when the team of Wild Rose (Roger Hickman), Victoire (Darryl Hodgkinson), and Patrice (Tony Kirby) won it.

The Southern Cross Cup is open to three-boat teams from Australia, Australian states and overseas, competing under IRC and representing a country, states, or yacht clubs.

Teams this year represented Australia, NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, along with five CYCA teams, three from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (NSW), and two each from the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (Qld) and Sandringham Yacht Club (Vic).

Single teams also represented the Derwent Sailing Squadron (TAS), Middle Harbour Yacht Club (NSW), Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NSW), Royal Brighton Yacht Club (Vic), and Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (Tas).

Attrition list in 2019:
· Faster Forward, Sydney 38 – Steering problems
· Hollywood Boulevard, Farr 55 – Broken rudder
· Minerva, DK 43 – Reason not listed

Race details – Entry list – Standings – Tracker – Facebook

Background: The 2019 fleet will be chasing line honours and the overall Tattersall Cup win in the 628nm Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which starts December 26, 2019. From Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

Source: Rupert Guinness, RSHYR