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  • URM Group takes Line Honours in 2022 Flinders Islet Race 

URM Group takes Line Honours in 2022 Flinders Islet Race 

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  • 24 Sep, 2022 09:40:00 PM
URM Group takes Line Honours in 2022 Flinders Islet Race 
2022 Flinders Islet Race - URM and Moneypenny

URM Group takes Line Honours in 2022 Flinders Islet Race 

URM Group has taken Line Honours and set a new record time in the 2022 Flinders Islet Race, the second race in the 2022/23 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore.

Anthony Johnston’s Reichel/Pugh 72, skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones, finished the 88 nautical mile race in 8 hours, 45 minutes and 21 seconds, shaving more than 43 minutes off the previous record set by David Griffith’s JV62 Whisper last year.

This is a second Line Honours win in the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore in less than 12 months for URM, following her win in the Bird Island Race last November.

It was a quick reach out of Sydney Harbour for the 32 boats in the fleet as they sailed upwind towards Flinders Islet, just off Port Kembla.

URM Group had Sean Langman’s Reichel/Pugh 69 Moneypenny – which led out of Sydney Heads – for company and they crossed paths as URM Group rounded the island and raced back towards the Harbour.

It was a quick return leg for URM Group, as she crossed the line just after 6:45pm (AEST) having averaged 10.3 knots across the course.  

Crew member David Johnston said: "I would like to thank skipper Marcus Ashley-Jones and all the crew for their great efforts today. We are very excited with the start to our season and the progress over the off-season.

"The team worked well together with great communication and commitment from the back of the boat through to the bow. The conditions were also favourable.

"Thanks to the CYCA for the race and we wish all other crews the best of luck for the rest of the series."
 
Moneypenny  - the overall winner of the 2022 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race - was second over the line, 14 minutes behind URM Group.

URM Group is well placed to add overall honours to the Line Honours win, leading the IRC standings with two-thirds of the fleet still at sea.

Follow the live tracker and standings on the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore website.

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