33 ORCi ENTRIES READY FOR ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE
First-ever use of ORCi ratings in this 628-mile offshore racing classic
Organizers at the Cruising YC of Australia (CYCA) have indicated that a
total of 33 entries have formed the first-ever ORC International (ORCi)
Division in the 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. This represents
one-third of all entries divided among several divisions in the fleet, with
most entries eligible to be scored in multiple divisions for the race.
The ORCi entries represent a wide range in age, size and boat type, from
Atse Biel's 1972 S&S-designed aluminum-built 41-foot Pinta-M competing to
win on handicap, to Ludde Ingvall's 2004 Simonis-Voogd-designed carbon-Nomex
90-foot YuuZoo (ex-Nicorette) contending for first-to-finish honors.
Results for the ORCi Division will be decided by the application of the
Time-on-Time Simplified Scoring Option, using the ToT Offshore rating as
printed on each boat's ORCi Certificate, as a multiplier of elapsed time.
The boat with the lowest corrected time (after application of any scoring
penalties) will be the winner.
The range in ratings for the ORCi Division is from Pinta-M's rating of
0.8881to YuuZoo's rating of 1.5973.
"ORCi is really quite compatible with the Sydney Hobart race," says ORC
Chief Measurer Nicola Sironi, "because the measurement of stability is
compatible with the CYCA's requirements for stability data for each entry in
the race. Other international rating rules do not offer this." Sironi had
recently helped measurers and administrators from Yachting Australia
establish the procedures for measurements and issuance of ORCi certificates
in time for the Sydney Hobart fleet.
But another contributing reason for use of ORCi in this race is the growing
desire among Australian owners to have access to a published, transparent
rating rule. A meeting at CYCA of some 80 owners and sailors identified this
as an important criteria for their interest in having an open and
predictable outcome in the rating process, as well as a belief in ORCi to
not be as favorable towards certain design types as other rating rules.
"We have a chance to do well in an offshore race where there are many
variables at play, but we have little or no chance in inshore racing because
our Farr 40 does not get treated at all well by IRC," said Ed Psaltis of AFR
Midnight Rambler. "We're looking forward to giving ORCi a try because we
think it will treat a broader variety of boats better in our fleets.
"We also like the fact that there is a broad international representation on
the technical side of the rule, so we feel as if we can have some input to
how it is managed." In fact, Australia has long been represented by David
Lyons as both a member of the ITC and the ORC Congress.
The 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will start on Boxing Day (26
December) and cover a course of 628 miles from the start line in Sydney
Harbour to the finish in Hobart, Tasmania.
For more information on the race, visit the race website at
http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com www.rolexsydneyhobart.com
For more information on ORC news, events, rules, and rating systems, visit
the ORC homepage at www.orc.org .
You must log in to post a comment.