fivepointfive - April 2023

Mark Tolhurst: “With the Fives, I came over here in the
1970s with my father. In 1976 we won the King Olav Cup, the
Scandinavian Gold Cup and the World Championship. Frank
built several Fives. The one he had at the time was Arunga
and I’ve come back with Arunga XII. He filled in all the other
ones from I to XI and won several world championships in
them and was very strong in the class in those days. I’m
passionate about the 5.5 class and always have been. There
are four Australia teams here and I bought this boat two
years ago when in it was in Australia for the worlds. The
intention is to campaign it and the four of us are looking to
campaign on the international circuit. I am just hoping I can
convince Adam to come back and do it with me as that’s
what’s it all about.”
which unfortunately was AP over A because of the high winds. It
felt more on the downwinds largely because of the sea sate. You
could easily downspeed in a trough and then the boat really loads
up, so that made it tough.”
Marc Ryan was on one of the four Australian boats in Hankø,
sailing Manly with his father Colin Ryan.
“I’ve being coming here for 35 years. I am a member here and
so is my father, Colin. It’s about community and friendship and
the social side to sailing. We bought the boat a few years ago to
campaign and this is the first venue for us. We are really enjoying
it and learning a lot, though I think my arms are two inches longer
after today. The boat has been sitting in Europe for two and half
years so this is the first time we have actually sailed the boat.”
It’s been a long time since a Tolhurst raced a 5.5 Metre but
the name is synonymous with the class.
Mark Tolhurst said, “It’s just fantastic being back in Hankø
stronger wind arrived and were getting faster and faster.
Andrew Palfrey, from Jean Genie, put his take on the day.
“I guess today played out pretty much as per the forecast
with the building breeze. We were surprised how shifty it was, but
we had a nice start just down from the group with massive gap
to leeward. We just chipped away, and we ended almost all the
way in the left and we think New Moon had gone the right way
and made a gain on us. But we focussed on winning our side
and then from there the guys did a fantastic job. Elliot is driving
the boat really well, like he’s been in the class for years and Sam
is super solid at the front. The boat handling was quite crisp,
so from where we were at the leeward mark it was a matter of
getting the boat round the track safely.
“For us once we’d done the hard stuff it was a matter of
delivering to the finish line and being ready for what came next,
Marc Ryan: “Hankø is one our favourite spots to be. For us
as a family it’s probably the most enjoyable place to actually
sail. Colin came here first in 1986, and did the worlds in
1987, and I came a few more years and we just love coming
back. We bought the boat together and Colin is doing some
regattas, and I will get my team together and hopefully do
Sardinia and New York afterwards. If we can do two regattas
a year...coming from Australia it’s take a lot of time to race.
Definitely there’s campaigns and years sailing ahead.”
APRIL 2023 • fivepointfive • 19