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Bird Island Race | Rolling Race Updates

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  • 15 Nov, 2025 08:20:00 PM
Bird Island Race | Rolling Race Updates
URM Group. Image: CYCA | Ashley Dart

Bird Island Race | Rolling Race Updates

Follow all the action from the Audi Centre Sydney Bird Island Race with live updates, leaderboard changes, and insights from the fleet as they navigate the course.

Race Update | Saturday 15 November, 1950 hours (9.5 hours after the start)

Nine hours into the Bird Island Race, nine yachts have finished the 83 nautical mile challenge. The pocket-maxis, URM Group, Moneypenny and No Limit finished the challenge roughly thirty minutes apart.

With 15-18 knots carrying her across the finish line, URM Group climbed her way up the leaderboard. The 72 footer is now provisionally set to claim 1st Overall on IRC, with Master Lock Comanche holding on to the PHS Overall title.

Back on the race course, most of the yachts have rounded the halfway mark and are on their way back to Sydney, with seven yachts still tracking north.

Toucan continues to lead IRC Double Handed with their fellow Sunfast 3300 Borderline only 2 nautical miles behind them. In PHS Division 2, Charles Cupit's Wot's Next stands atop the leaderboard, with Chris Taylor's Le Tiroflan and Pacific Road Xanthus in second and third respectively.

URM Group.    Image: CYCA | Ashley Dart

Race Update | Saturday 15 November, 1620hrs (6 hours after start)

Welcome back Commanche! Master Lock Commanche has won Line Honours is currently first in both IRC and PHS standings - in the Race 4 of the 2025 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore (ACSBWPS), the 83nm Bird Island Race.

The iconic Maxi enjoyed the powerful north easterly winds throughout the return leg, averaging speeds of around 20-25knts, to win their first hit out of the CYCA’s summer slate of races. Matt Allen and James Mayo’s charge crossed the line in 5hrs 43mins 52secs.

In what has proven to be a race for the big boats, URM Group and Moneypenny are on track to complete a trifecta across the three Divisions of Line Honours, IRC and PHS. URM Group are currently 17.3nm from the finish, with Moneypenny 5.5nm further back.

No Limit is fourth in all three divisions, while Sydney 47 Wots Next is fifth in PHS.

Richard Hudson’s Pretty Woman leads the Wild Rose IRC, while Koa is currently out in front of the IRC Corinthian division.

As usual, plenty of Double Handers are putting on a great show with Toucan, Min River, Crux, Borderline and Verite waging a great battle in both the IRC and PHS divisions for the two handers. Toucan with skipper Edward Curry-Hyde and Lincoln Dews, has her nose in front in IRC, while it is Paul Beath and Max Fonze, with Verite nudging ahead in PHS.

So far, only Master Lock Commanche, URM Group, Moneypenny, Highly Sprung, Smuggler, Antipodes, Koa and Sticky have made the Bird Island turn.

At the back end of proceedings, Mark Ayto and Western Morning are still more than 60nm from finishing their race, with much of the fleet set to finish well into the night.

Unicoin, with rigging damage, was the third boat to retire following Sumatra and Navy One.

Masterlock Comanche.    Image: CYCA | Ashley Dart

Race Update | Saturday 15 November, 1320hrs (3 hours after start)

Unsurprisingly, 100ft-Maxi Master Lock Commanche is heading up the fleet as she passes Bateau Bay, with just over 8nm to the turnaround. Matt Allen and James Mayo’s rocket is 5.6nm ahead of URM Group for Line Honours.

Moneypenny is 1.2nm behind David & Anthony Johnston’s 72ft Reichel Pugh, with David Gotze’s No Limit 2nm behind them.

Behind the lead quartet, Sebastian Bohm’s Smuggler, Mark Spring’s Highly Sprung, Peter Wrigley and Andrew Kearnan’s Koa and Geoffrey Hill’s Antipodes are bunkering down into a nice battle.

In IRC it is URM Group from Moneypenny, Highly Sprung and Ronald Epstein’s Bacchanal, while the PHS standings currently sees Charles Cupit’s Wots Next hold a nice provisional advantage over Wine-Dark Sea (Peter Lowndes) and David Watson & John Turnbull’s Beneteau First 45 Luna Blue.

Of the Double Handers, Toucan is slightly ahead of Borderline and Min River, while in the two handed PHS, Verite leads Toucan and Borderline.

Sumatra joined Navy One on the list of retirements, out of the race due to a fuel tank leak.

 

Race Update | Saturday 15 November, 1150hrs (90 minutes after start)

Race 4 of the 2025 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore (ACSBWPS) - the 83nm Bird Island Race to Norah Head and return - began at 1020 hours today in relatively benign conditions, with an 8 knot northeast breeze at the start.

Earlier, the 43-yacht fleet went into a 20-minute AP (postponement) as they waited for the breeze to filter down the harbour.

Master Lock Commanche, racing in the ACSBWPS for the first time this year, pushed out to an early lead, Matt Allen and James Mayo’s 100 footer weaving its way down the harbour, passing through the Heads after 19mins 49 seconds.

URM Group, for David & Anthony Johnston, have been in great form in the ACSBWPS, having taken Line Honours in both the Flinders Islet and Tollgate Islands races, and were 2min17sec further adrift, with Rob Appleyard’s Moneypenny another 2min26sec back and No Limit next, right on their hammer.

The breeze had built offshore to around 15-18knts by the time Western Morning left the Heads, 46min46sec after the start.

Navy One was an early retirement, sail damage forcing them out of the race just over 80 minutes after the start.

 

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