Stephen Ainsworth's Swan 48, Loki, is not only one of the more beautiful looking boats contesting the British Trophy/Southern Cross Cup Regatta off Sydney, but has proven to be the most successful ocean racer.
Loki, which Ainsworth imported from Finland last year to replace his smaller Swan 42, has revelled in the fresh winds and lumpy seas encountered in the regatta to win five of the six races sailed so far in the IRC division of the British Trophy, an individual yacht series.
In the Southern Cross team competition, she has been the topscorer for the New South Wales team, placing first in four of the six races.
In today's racing, Loki had a fourth and a first on corrected time, with Tony Kirby steering the boat skilfully in the 15-20 knot south-easterly breeze and short seas off Sydney Heads.
Race five saw the Pittwater-based Sydney 38 One Design, London Tavern, skippered by Justin Lambeth follow up her good performance in the recent JPMorgan Regatta, beat two other Sydney 38s, both from Melbourne's Sandringham Yacht Club, Commodore Kevin Woods' Ticket of Leave and Past Commodore Lou Abrahams' Another Challenge.
Then came Loki and another Sydney 38, Rush, helmed by former Etchells world champion Cameron Miles from Pittwater.
A remarkable margin of only 22 seconds separated the first five boats on corrected time.
Loki sailed exceptionally well in race six to beat Another Challenge and Warren Johns' Welbourne 50, Heaven Can Wait, fourth going to the consistent Ticket of Leave, closely followed on the results sheet by race five winner, London Tavern.
Again only seconds separated much of the fleet, just 45 seconds between second placed Another Challenge and Obsession, another Sydney 38 in seventh place.
After six races, Loki dominated the overall pointscore with 276 points after one discard race, followed by Heaven Can Wait on 269, Another Challenge 267, Ticket of Leave 262, London Tavern 259 and Rush on 258 points.
Two more races remain to be sailed tomorrow, with the series still wide open.