Today, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron member, won heat four of the prestigious Prince Philip Cup for International Dragon class yachts on Hobart’s Derwent River to move into a close third place on the overall pointscore with three races to sail.

Results are provisional as one of three yachts called as OCS (on course side at start) has protested the race committee against its disqualification.

 McCrossin, a former world champion in another International class,  the high performance Flying Dutchman, and his crew of the yacht’s owner Martin Burke and Rick Hall, excelled in the freshening seabreeze that swept up the Derwent this afternoon.

 Riga led from the start but McCrossin had to produce his optimum steering and tactical skills to hold off a determined bid by Hotspur (Ken Stevenson) from Perth’s Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, the winning margin being just 29 seconds.

Riga, helmed by Ian McCrossin for owner Martin Burke, won the opening race in a fresh to strong northerly breeze, while Leander, skippered by Hugh Wardrop, took out the afternoon heat, sailed in a rather fickle sea breeze from the southeast.