Chutpah, launched earlier this year, is one of five Sydney 38s entered in the Sydney Hobart and will contest the British Trophy regatta starting tomorrow as a final lead-up to the 630 nautical mile race south that gets under way on Boxing Day, 26 December.

“it’s been a tough delivery sail all the way, 35 knots astern in Bass Strait, then 25 knot nor’easters or nothing coming up the coast to Sydney,” navigator Peter Bedggood, a former President of Sail Victoria and past Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, said as a wearied crew enjoyed a cold beer at the CYCA.

This will be the 22nd Sydney Hobart Race for owner Bruce Taylor, the first for his newest Chutzpah which he launched last March at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, of which he is a former Commodore.

The new boat, which he has already campaigned with success in Melbourne and at Hamilton Island Race Week, is his fifth named Chutzpah – with his previous boats he has notched up five divisional wins in the Sydney Hobart.

Three Victorian yachts will contest the British Trophy series – Chutzpah, Toecutter and Farr Too Much Fun.

Chutzpah will race in the Sydney 38 One Design division as its preparation for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, in which there is also a Sydney 38 division.

Toecutter, a 31-footer skippered by her designer, builder and co-owner Robert Hick, also from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, will contest the IRC rating division as a lead-up to the Hobart Race.

Farr Too Much Funn, skippered by Phillip Coombs from Sandringham Yacht Club, is one of eight boats in the Farr 40 One Design division which also includes former World Champion Jim Richardson from the USA, sailing Barking Mad.

The British Trophy Regatta, the final lead-up to next week’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, is an eight-race stand-alone series starting tomorrow and running through to Saturday with two races each day for the five divisions – IMS and IRC rating divisions and the Farr 40, Sydney 38 and Mumm 30 one-design divisions.

Source: Peter Campbell