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Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race

Thick sea fog hits the 2023 melbourne to hobart yacht race.

The 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race started in sunny conditions on Port Philip Bay today with competitors set for a quick race to Hobart.

The fleet started the 51st race in a steady 13 knot southerly breeze under blue skies but an eerie sea fog rolling over Point Nepean enveloped the boats soon after the start, reducing visibility for competitors and crews alike, as they made their way to the first turning mark near Shortland Bluff.

Double-handed entrant Joker x2, co-skippered by Peter Dowdney and Grant Chipperfield, representing the Mornington and Sandringham Yacht Clubs (MYC/SYC), had a fantastic start choosing the committee boat end of the start line and relished the benefits of the clear air.

The multihull Peccadillo, skippered by experienced campaigner Charles Meredith from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, opted for the middle of the line but despite being way back on the start gun, soon found the front of the fleet.

Alien, skippered by Justin Brenan from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (RYCV), was the first boat to hoist a kite, with the yellow spinnaker adding some colour to the fleet, but they struggled to carry it at times on the shy reach while other crews opted for code zeros and were able to make a higher course.

As the boats approached Quarantine Station at Point Nepean, Peccadillo maintained her lead and was revelling in the reaching conditions, but an intense battle was under way behind her between last year’s runner-up and handicap favourite for this year’s event, Ginan, co-skippered by Cam McKenzie and Nigel Jones from MYC, Alex Toomey’s Sayer 12, Ryujin and Joker x2, with Ryujin in front at the end of Point Nepean.

Peccadillo was the first boat out of Port Philip Bay Heads followed by the monohulls, Ryujin, Ginan, Joker x2 and Andrew Neeson’s Runnalls 39, Jaffa, from the Royal Brighton Yacht Club.

ORCV Race Director David Schuller was happy with the clear race start and anticipates an exciting race ahead.

“The weather is going to throw a little bit of everything at our competitors in this race which promises to be very exciting with possibilities for a fast race,” said Schuller.

Assistant Race Director, Ray Shaw, also predicts solid sailing conditions across Bass Strait to King Island and a quick trip south to Hobart.

“All weather models indicate that east of King Island is the preferred path for the fleet.

“The fleet can expect a 15 to 20 knot southerly breeze as they cross Bass Strait.

“The winds will pick up on Friday evening as a strong low compresses below Tasmania which will provide more challenging conditions for the crews with strong west to south westerly winds of 30 knots, gusting to 40 knots,” said Shaw.

Cyrus Allen, skipper of White Spirit and Commodore of the ORCV, broadcasting from onboard his boat in amongst the thick pea soup that descended over the fleet, expects the wind to build overnight.

“Tonight, as we go down towards King Island, we expect the conditions to freshen a little bit before we face some pretty decently lumpy winds on the South West Coast [of Tasmania],” said Allen.

Several boats are in contention for line honours with monohulls Ginan, Ryujin, Joker x2 and Lord Jiminy, skippered by Jimmy Oosterweghel from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, the boats to watch.

The prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual trophy will go to the handicap winner on AMS.

Handicap predictions for the 2023 race include Ginan, Jaffa, Alien and Vertigo, skippered by father and daughter combination Tim and Clare Olding from the RYCV.

Other prizes on offer include the Zeehan Trophy for the Navigator of the Heemskirk Trophy winner, the Wrest Point Abel Tasman Trophy for the winner on line honours, and the City of Melbourne Perpetual Trophy for first on corrected time on the performance handicap.

The Westcoaster, as the race is affectionately known, is one of the world’s great ocean races, covering 435 nautical miles from the start in Port Philip Bay to the finish line in the River Derwent in Hobart.

The race starts with a 125 nm passage across Bass Strait before the fleet sails 200 nm south down the West Coast of Tasmania, past Maatsuyker Island, east to South East Cape then turning northeast towards the more sheltered, but equally challenging waters of Storm Bay and the River Derwent.

Line honours contenders are expected to arrive in Hobart in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The fleet is carrying trackers enabling race followers to track the action from start to finish. To follow the fleet, go to  race.bluewatertracks.com/2023-melbourne-to-hobart-westcoaster

The monohull race record of 1 day 17 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds was set by Shortwave in 2008, winning the race with an average speed over the course of 10.49 knots.

The race is run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron.

For Entry, Notice of Race and List of Entries, please visit:  www.orcv.org.au/hobart

by Jane Austin/ORCV media

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Alien Wins 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race

Alien wins record-breaking fourth Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy and Peccadillo smashes multihull record in 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race

After a gruelling last 24 hours of sailing in winds gusting greater than 40 knots and battling 4 to 5 metre seas along the South Coast of Tasmania, Alien, skippered by Justin Brenan from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, was victorious in the intense battle for the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual trophy while the multihull Peccadillo took line honours in the 51st Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race.

Justin Brenan, and his seasoned ocean racing crew, flew under the radar for the first part of the race but positioned themselves well for the final run home to Hobart to win the coveted Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy for the overall winner determined on AMS handicap.

The modest skipper and his crew sailed Alien into the record books by winning the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race (Westcoaster) on AMS handicap for the fourth time, a record that will take a long time to beat. Brenan also won the Melbourne to Hobart Eastcoaster Race in 2008. 

The battle for AMS honours was on in earnest on the second day of sailing with Ryujin, skippered by Alex Toomey, last year’s runner-up Ginan, skippered by Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie, and Lord Jiminy, skippered by Jimmy Oosterweghel, primed for a three-way battle for the AMS win, but three-time winner Alien picked up speed overnight and had a great race into Hobart.

Skipper Justin Brenan, twice-crowned the ORCV Offshore Champion, reflected upon the 51st race to Hobart.

“The winds were warm all the way, we didn’t get any cold weather at all.

“It was an interesting race. Normally we have a beat and then a reach and then we’re running under spinnakers but this year there were no spinnakers really.

“We had good breeze. A 50-knot gust went through and at that stage we only had a double reefed mainsail and a small headsail up and doing 19 knots which was good.

“It’s not every day you can go sailing in the Southern Ocean, in warm conditions and go fast.

Coming across the bottom of Tasmania presented the most significant challenge to Brenan and his crew.

“There was enough wind to make it interesting. Most of the time we had 35 knots and a bit of rain…going through the islands in the dark meant you had to watch your navigation a bit because in the rain you just couldn’t see them.

Brenan has won the race each time on the Lidgard 36 designed boat, which he affectionately describes as an evergreen yacht, which was designed in 1990, built in 1996, and, according to the winning skipper, “still beats some of the most expensive ones around”.

The remarkable achievements of this humble crew bear testament to what can be achieved with a combination of a well-designed boat, a skilful and experienced crew, and excellent seamanship.    

“The other good thing about this race was how close it was. Ourselves, Vertigo [retired] and a few other boats were all within a couple of minutes of each other.

“Coming up the River [Derwent] we knew we had about an hour and forty minutes if we wanted to win so it was pretty close and a good fleet,” said Brenan.     

Peccadillo, skippered by Charles Meredith in his first Westcoaster, was thrilled with his win and relished the heavy conditions.

“Blowy was good for us, we enjoyed that, it was the long upwind legs down to the bottom of Tassie that were not really our favourite, but across the bottom [of Tasmania], in a nice 30 knot breeze, that’s what this boat likes.

“We don’t point the same as a monohull, so we tended to sail bigger angles than the rest of the fleet, but we also wanted to get out further west after King Island so we could get a better angle when the wind came around from the west which worked for us.

“Lord Jiminy followed us after a while as that type of boat sails somewhat similarly to us. It was a good place to be with a nice set of angles coming down the West Coast.

Meredith, a seasoned ocean sailor, was enthralled by the stunning West Coast of Tasmania.

“Travelling the West Coast of Tassie is always something special, whether it’s a cruise, racing or whether you are bushwalking on the land.

“As we came in closer to the Coast around Maatsuyker [Island] and the rock stacks – it’s just such a spectacular place, with big seas, and it looks like you are in the Southern Ocean because you are. I’ve never sailed that far South before – that was certainly a highlight,” said Meredith.    

Meredith is keen to defend his multihull record in 2024.

“The ORCV has done the hard work in making it possible for multihulls to enter the race, but because it’s so new, we really need to get the word out a year ahead, and I think there’s potential overseas interest – this really is one of Australia’s great ocean races,” said Meredith.

Peccadillo smashed the previous multihull record set by Bagatelle in 1988 by almost 10 hours, with an elapsed time (which included a time penalty for a course-sailed error leaving Port Philip Heads) of two days, 18 hours, four minutes and one second.

Bagatelle’s previous record on elapsed time was three days, three hours, 35 minutes and 23 seconds.

Rod Smallman and Leeton Hulley, from the Sandringham Yacht Club, co-skippered their Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 Maverick, to win the double-handed division and the overall race on performance handicap.

Ginan was the first monohull into Hobart and was the winner on ORC handicap.

Official presentations for the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race will be held at Race Village, Elizabeth Street Pier at 5pm on Sunday 31 December 2023. 

The race is run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron.

Click here for Entry, Notice of Race and List of Entries

Jane Austin ORCV media

Main photo: Alien wins the Heemskerk Trophy for a fourth time in the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race. Photo Michael Currie

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2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race: Favorites and Exciting Comebacks

The upcoming 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race is gearing up to feature a diverse fleet, with multiple boats contending for line honours, including the return of the first multihull in 30 years. The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) is organizing the race, with skippers and crews preparing for this tactical and challenging competition, with early predictions focusing on several contenders for line honours.

The race's diverse fleet and the return of the first multihull in 30 years highlight the continued interest and variety in yacht racing, contributing to the excitement and competitiveness of the event.

• 15-boat fleet, smaller than last year's 50th-anniversary race
• Race record: 1 day 17 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds (set in 2008)
• Skippers and crews finalizing preparations for the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race
• Early predictions focusing on contenders for line honours, contributing to an intense competition
• The return of the first multihull in 30 years adds an element of excitement and variety to the race

All eyes are on the upcoming 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race, with the diverse fleet and the return of the first multihull in 30 years setting the stage for an exhilarating and competitive event. The preparations and early predictions indicate an intense and thrilling race.

The 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race is poised to be an exciting and fiercely competitive event, with a diverse fleet and the return of the first multihull in 30 years, adding significant interest and variety to the race.

The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI

www.sail-world.com • Jane Austin/ORCV media

Interest and variety the flavour

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Home > News

Clipper Race to visit Qingdao for 9th straight time

Eleven Clipper Race boats start their voyage to Qingdao, China's sailing capital, on March 14. [Photo/Qilu News]

The 2023-24 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race (Qingdao) will be held at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center in Shandong province from March 21 to 27. After a six-year hiatus, the Clipper Race will make its ninth stop in Qingdao.

The 2023-24 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race set sail from Portsmouth, England on Sept 3, 2023 (local time). This season has attracted 11 teams composed of more than 700 sailors from over 55 countries and regions. The race has an expected duration of 11 months, and participants will visit six continents, eight countries, and 14 ports, covering a total distance of 40,000 nautical miles.

Currently, the race is in the midst of its sixth leg, with the Chinese yacht  Qingdao  having already secured victory in one leg of the race. Based on the current sailing trajectory, the fleet is expected to arrive in Qingdao around March 21 and depart for Seattle, United States on March 27.

The race is now on its sixth leg, with Chinese yacht  Qingdao  having already secured victory in one leg. [Photo/Qilu News]

This year marks the third time that Qingdao, known as China's sailing capital, has sponsored a leg of the Clipper Race.

The Chinese yacht  Qingdao  clipper continues to serve as a global mobile promotional platform, showcasing Qingdao's status as a vibrant marine city. Ten ambassador sailors have been recruited again this season to represent Qingdao. Wang Ziqi and Bu Xuan are currently competing on board the Qingdao and are expected to arrive in Qingdao in one week.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is the world's largest global sailing event, and Qingdao is the first Asian city to host the race.

As China's sailing capital, Qingdao is committed to both hosting high-end sailing events and cultivating and expanding independent brand events, striving to increase the quality and attractiveness of sailing events and become a new sailing hub.

Qingdao's way toward a prosperous and beautiful city

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What time is the Australian F1 Grand Prix and how can I watch?

The Australian Grand Prix returns to Albert Park this weekend, with two local stars on the grid for the first time in over a decade.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and RB’s Daniel Ricciardo will be vying for points when the motorsports world’s eyes descend on Melbourne for the highly-anticipated third round of the season.

A record 444,631 fans attended last year’s Australian GP, making it Melbourne’s highest attended weekend sporting event in history.

However, spectators will be banned from entering the track and pitlane this year amid a safety shake up, with fines of up to $17,307 in place, according to The Herald Sun . Any fan caught on the track will be evicted from the venue and banned from future events.

It comes after a large group of spectators broke the security lines last year and accessed the track while the race was still ongoing, while another fan was left bloodied by flying debris.

During last year’s event, drivers complained about the sun getting in their eyeline towards the end of the race. However, that won’t be a concern on Sunday, with the race occurring a week before daylight savings end, meaning the event essentially kicks off an hour earlier than last year.

The 58-lap race gets underway on Sunday at 3pm AEDT.

Watch the FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX LIVE in 4K and ad-break free during racing. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >

SESSION TIMES (all times local)

Friday, March 22

12.30pm-1.30pm: F1 Practice 1

2pm – 2pm: Formula 3 Qualifying

4pm-5pm: F1 Practice 2

5.30pm – 6pm: Formula 2 Qualifying

Saturday, March 23

11.15am – 12pm: Formula 3 Sprint Race

12.30pm-1.30pm: F1 Practice 3

2.15pm – 3.05pm: Formula 2 Sprint Race

4pm-5pm: F1 Qualifying

Sunday, March 24

9.05am – 9.50am: Formula 3 Feature Race

11.35am – 12.35pm: Formula 2 Feature Race

1pm-1.30pm- F1 drivers’ parade

3pm-6pm: F1 race (58 laps)

HOW TO WATCH

The entire Australian Grand Prix, including every practice, qualifying and race, can be watched live and ad-break free on Foxtel and streaming platform Kayo.

Sunday’s race will be broadcast free-to-air on Channel 10 and streaming service 10 Play.

WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?

There was utter chaos at last year’s Australian Grand Prix , which saw three red flags and a dramatic conclusion as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed victory.

After Haas’ Kevin Magnussen crashed out, a standing start with two laps left created a remarkable and chaotic dash to the finish. Four cars crashed out, with the two Aston Martins and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez also impacted, while Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton stayed safe at the front.

It was decided to set the order as it was before the lap 57 restart, except with the crashed cars removed, meaning Verstappen won ahead of Hamilton and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

PAST WINNERS

2023 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2022 – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2021 – No race due to Covid-19 pandemic

2020 – No race due to Covid-19 pandemic

2019 – Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes

2018 – Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

2017 – Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

2016 — Nico Rosberg, Mercedes

2015 — Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2014 — Nico Rosberg, Mercedes

2013 — Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus-Renault

2012 — Jenson Button, McLaren

2011 — Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull

2010 — Jenson Button, McLaren

2009 — Jenson Button, Brawn

2008 — Lewis Hamilton, McLaren

2007 — Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari

2006 — Fernando Alonso, Renault

2024 DRIVERS’ STANDINGS

1st – Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 51

2nd – Sergio Perez (Red Bull), 36

3rd – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 28

4th – George Russell (Mercedes), 18

5th – Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 16

6th – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), 15

7th – Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), 12

8th – Lando Norris (McLaren), 12

9th – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 8

10th – Oliver Bearman (Ferrari), 6

11th – Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), 1

12th – Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), 1

Yet to score points – Yuki Tsunoda (RB), Daniel Ricciardo (RB), Logan Sargeant (Williams), Zhou Guanyu (Sauber), Valtteri Bottas (Sauber), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Alex Albon (Williams)

2024 CONSTRUCTORS’ STANDINGS

1st – Red Bull, 87

2nd – Ferrari, 49

3rd – McLaren, 28

4th – Mercedes, 26

5th – Ashton Martin, 13

6th – Haas, 1

7th – Williams, 0

8th – Sauber, 0

9th – RB, 0

10th – Alpine, 0

Photo credit: Chris Howe, EXTASEA

Melbourne to Devonport Race Updates and Tracker Link

Following the race: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2023-melbourne-devonport-rudder-cup.

Melbourne to Devonport, ‘Rudder Cup,’ Australia's oldest ocean race, is honoured as the ORCV race that runs on the "Melbourne Cup" long weekend. With a start off Queenscliff, the fleet is racing to Devonport to be greeted and kindly hosted by the Mersey Yacht Club.

Current Race Record:

19h 32m 56s by PROWLER in 1998

Race Director Update Saturday, 4 November 10.20pm 

• Ginan leading Patriot and Cadibarra on AMS.
• Ginan, leading Patriot and Rush on ORC
• Carrera S leading Ginan and White Spirit on PHS
• Joker X2 leading Spirit of Downunder on Double Handed.

Race Update Saturday, 4 November 2023 at 6:00 pm:

While it could be anyone’s race, the current leaderboard suggests Ginan AMS and ORC Divisions (aka Rudder Cup champions) | Vagabond PHS Division | Joker X2 Double Handed.

Race Update Saturday, 4 November 2023 at 2:00 pm:

Winds are becoming lighter as the fleet sails closer to Devonport. Tasmania may be in sight, but there is still a lot of sailing to go!

Peccadillo leads line honours in the multihull division and Extasea the monohulls. Both yachts have now sailed into a large patch of light winds yet have Tassie in their sights! With approximately 40 nm to go, Carrera S and Rush follow closely, about 10 nm behind. Most of the fleet is still sailing with a good wind but has light winds ahead...

Leaderboard shows Arcadia leading the AMS division | Kioni leading the PHS division | Ginan leading the ORC division | Joker X2 leading the Double-Handed division.

Race Update Saturday, 4 November 2023 at 7:00 am

Extasea is leading the fleet, followed closely by multihull entrant Peccadillo, flying along at 16.2 knots! Carrera S currently leading the AMS and PHS divisions, and Rush is leading the ORC divisions, close behind.

Most of the fleet has the same tactical plan so far. Steering a starboard tack and heading East of rhumb line. Ginan is taking a more Easterly course; we will see if that pays off.

Race Update Friday, 3 November 2023 at 6:00 pm:

The fleet started in a 15-knot southerly breeze and is now sailing across Bass Strait to Devonport in the 195 nautical miles 2023 Melbourne Devonport 'Rudder Cup'

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How to watch F1 Australian Grand Prix: Race, qualifying, practice start time for Albert Park, Melbourne

Albert Park in Melbourne is gearing up to host another edition of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix .

Fans continue to show up in record numbers, and that is not expected to change in 2024.

The Sporting News  has all the key timings and broadcast details for the race weekend below.

MORE:  Who is Daniel Ricciardo racing for in 2024?  |  How many laps are in the Australian Grand Prix?  |  F1 standings 2024 - Updated driver and constructor points

F1 Melbourne: Practice start time in Australia

We have another traditional Grand Prix weekend format coming our way in Melbourne.

The first practice session is scheduled for 12:30 pm AEDT on Friday, March 22, followed by the second session at 4:00 pm AEDT on the same day.

The third and final session is set for 12:30 pm AEDT on Saturday, March 23.

F1 Melbourne: Qualifying start time in Australia

Qualifying is slated for 4:00 pm AEDT on Saturday, March 23 and should take approximately one hour to complete.

It will be held over three sessions, with the five slowest drivers knocked out at each stage before a top-10 shootout.

F1 Melbourne: Race start time in Australia

For the first time this season, fans based Down Under won't have to wake up in the middle of the night, with the race in Melbourne scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm AEDT on Sunday, March 23.

Drivers will complete 58 laps around the Albert Park Circuit .

F1 Melbourne schedule: Grand Prix times, sessions in Australia

A full breakdown of the 2024 F1 Australian Grand Prix schedule is below (all times in AEDT):

How to watch the F1 Australian Grand Prix: TV channel, free-to-air guide

Fans can catch all the action from Melbourne on  Fox Sports  (Channel 506) and on free-to-air via Channel 10 .

How to live stream the F1 Australian Grand Prix 

The Australian Grand Prix can be streamed on  Kayo Sports ,  Foxtel Go and 10 Play.

Tevake II. Pic - Steb Fisher

Melbourne to Hobart and Devonport yachts ready to race

Yachts will set sail from Portsea on the afternoon of December 27 to Hobart and Devonport.

Preparation for long distance ocean races, particularly those that start in Bass Strait, is onerous in any year. In 2021, with multiple lockdowns and travel restrictions, it has been nearly impossible for many. However, some have managed to maintain and prepare their yachts and crew and eager to meet the challenges of sailing in Bass Strait.

Race officials are closely watching two high pressure systems that are set to dominate the early part of the races.  As the fleets enter Bass Strait, the predicted wind will be strengthening to 22 knots and then as the sun sets the fleet will be experiencing light winds.  Skippers and tacticians’ skills will be tested as the route plotted at this point will determine where you finish.

Brian Pattinson is a veteran of ocean racing, having completed multiple Tasmanian Melbourne to Osaka, Melbourne to Vanuatu and Melbourne to Mackay races.  He is in the early days sailing his new boat Gusto Solo, a Don Jones 42, and will be sailing double handed with his son Tristan. 

Pattinson said, “It is a very exciting boat nothing like the previous two Gusto’s. We haven’t had much sailing time together between COVID restrictions and, when we have tried to hit the water, we have had some big blows that have stopped us.” He continued, “Unlike the other two boats it is lighter and comes up to speed more quickly.”

It is hard to see Pattinson and son Tristan not being the first yacht across the line in Devonport.  If they have a challenger, Alex Toomey in his Sayer 12 Ryujin would be it.  Toomey is sailing Ryujin fully crewed, but this boat was designed to be sailed short-handed on long ocean races and in the light air can be ‘driven’ with minimal crew movement.

Weather for the Hobart race is a little harder to predict this far out from the start. Naturally, they will benefit from the good starting conditions and, as they track closer to King Island, the prediction is that the wind will stay in for them longer.

Race Director Jeremy Walton even quipped, “Maybe this is the year to go to the west of King Island,’ a course that has been pursued in the past without good results.

“At the moment, the weather on the North part of the West Coast shows some good promise but with a lighter ‘hole’ towards the middle of the Coast around Strahan. Always a very tactical race the lighter breezes will challenge the crews, questions of whether to stay in and ‘rock hop’ the coast versus head out and hope for the change to push you back across to make the turn at Maatsuyker Island.”

Looking at the Line Honours possibilities, the Double Handed yacht, Alex-Team Macadie, a Jones/Hart 14 is one of the front runners. Jock Macadie is not just an experienced double handed sailor but indeed one of its pioneers and greatest proponents. For many years, his crew was his son and the two were a formidable force in every race they entered.Jock’s son has been in the USA for some years now and a new crew was not always easy to find.

Lord Jiminy, an Open 40 which is sailing shorthanded as ‘Four crew plus Auto Helm’, will be quick and dangerous. Skipper Guillaume Leroux is a wily competitor, and nobody can afford to let them out of their sight.

As much a sentimental favourite as beautifully sailed by an efficient team is Tevake ll. Both Tevake l and Tevake ll were fixtures of the ocean racing and club racing scene for decades.  Fletcher was the Commodore of the ORCV from 2004 – 2006 and was Ocean Racer of the Year in 2020.  Unfortunately, we lost Angus early in the year. Fletcher’s wife Holly has always been a fixture of the essential ‘ground crew’ supporting Tevake and she has supported this tight knot crew to continue in Angus’s memory.

Skipper Paul Neilson said, “It’s weird to be sailing without him. We now know how much paperwork is involved in Ocean Racing.  We have been so well supported by Holly.  She has had new rigging put in. She wants the boat raced and campaigned properly.

“We will be racing in Angus’ honour but it’s never going to be the same. We don’t really like the light weather that’s showing.  We would prefer the heavy stuff, but we will be giving it everything.”

No matter who is first across the line, all crews are grateful to have the opportunity once again to do what they love – ocean sail.

By ORCV media

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