JONATHAN Newbury's Skye scored her second handicap win for the season with a comfortable win in the cove race on Saturday.

This takes Skye to the points lead in the Destination Race Series.

The cove race has replaced the Louth Island Race as it is considered a fairer course for all yachts and a better anchorage for those staying overnight.

The race began next to the main wharf where Tallulah (Barry Lawes), Bandit (John Penny) and Caitlyn (Kym Woolford) missed the start badly.

The first mark was the submarine buoy, which was rounded first by Fresh (Kym Clarke) followed by Shilo (Wayne Smith), Speakeasy (Grant Eckermann) and Bandit.

A short run to number nine buoy followed and then a reach to the BHP beacon.

On the reach Skye and Caitlyn passed Bandit and Time Out (Fran Solly/Barry Hockaday) made up lots of ground after poor early legs.

After the BHP rounding was a beat to entrance beacon south.

Time Out passed Bandit and Caitlyn headed on a long tack into oblivion towards the monument. After a time it became apparent that Caitlyn had misread the course sheet. At entrance beacon south Fresh led Shilo, sailing well early, followed by Speakeasy and Skye, enjoying the light conditions.

From there the course took the fleet around the Bickers Islands at which point Kym Woolford was made aware of his mark omission and withdrew from the race.

It was a long slow beat to Donington rock with various boats passing and re-passing, and then a kite run down to the point after which was a beat to the line at Fisherman's Point in Spalding Cove to the finish boat, Silent Number.

Fresh crossed first, Shilo second and Speakeasy third, then came Time Out, Skye and Bandit, closely followed by Tallulah.

Canopus (Andrew Slack) and Tawhiri (Trevor Watherston) brought up the rear.

Handicap places were Skye first, Bandit second, Canopus third and Fresh fourth.

The next race is a harbour race to be held this Saturday.