6:59 AM Sun 1 Nov 2009 GMT
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'First light finishers - it was very stylish indeed... Melbourne to Stanley Race - McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship'
John Curnow
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Even though it was a slow 152nm race for everyone (the winner was eight hours behind the record), it was all smiles around in Stanley on Tasmania's NW Coast today. Last boat home was 'Rogue Trader' at 15:14hrs, about three hours in front of earlier predictions.
All competitors have then qualified for the Melbourne to Launceston and the two Melbourne to Hobart as well as Sydney Hobart. The only retirement was 'Merlion' with a torn mainsail, but the crew are all OK and they returned to Melbourne. For all the sail makers out there that was 'Merlion' from Hobson's Bay Yacht Club that may well need a new rag now!!!
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The Southern view of the granite massif known as 'The Nut' which dominates Stanley’s place on the globe. - McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship - John Curnow
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So thank you Stanley. You've been great and we'll see you next year.
The biggest comments around the quay centered on the sea fog that had been all over Bass Strait for the first part of the race. Visibility had well and truly been in the sub 100m category and some passed on cross tacks, having paid ultra clear attention to the foghorns.
'INSX' had been in close quarters with both 'Wicked' and 'XLR8'. James 'Cyclone' Bacon, who drives the boat said to me, 'It was pretty cool being in there with the bigger boats and we were glad we could hear them first, before they just popped out of the fog. We're happy it was very light winds and no-one was really moving that quickly!'
Think that may well be true...
Line Honours was a trifecta to Sandringham Yacht Club - 'Calm', then 'Goldfinger' who had a blinder (I can just imagine Peter Blake's face now - he also holds the record in his previous boat) and 'Audi Centre Melbourne'.
In IRC you had 'Calm' first, then 'The Finger' (both from SYC) and in third was 'Extasea' from Geelong.
AMS has 'Wicked' first, 'Extasea' and then 'Magazan 53' - Nick McGuigan skippers the latter. What a nice reward for all his efforts for the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria of late.
PHS is now a very much watched class, thanks to the McConaghy Carbon Fibre Performance Wheel that is the prize for the 2009/10 McConaghy Melbourne Offshore season. First was 'Pretty Woman', then the classic S&S36 'Magic' and the well-seasoned crew from the Tamar Yacht Club aboard 'Matangi'. They have now left Stanley and are going back along the coast to their home.
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This is the carbon fibre performance wheel that everyone wants to get their hands on and ’Pretty Woman’ is the first to get the coveted Yellow Ribband that marks their success in the Melbourne to Stanley Race, part of the McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship. - John Curnow
Click Here to view large photo
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The other Tasmanian entries made it in to port fine, if not with any great podium claims. 'Hummingbird' had some issues with the mainsail and was trying to drop it for ages and the new owners of the old 'Dekadence', now 'Creese Properties' got better with every mile they sailed.
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’Hummingbird’ from DSS was the penultimate boat in and had issues getting the main down... - McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship - John Curnow
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To get the full Melbourne to Stanley results, click
www.orcv.org.au/results/2009/2009M2S/series.htm
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Finally a few yachts filled the pretty little harbour that is Stanley. - McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship - John Curnow
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The Eastern view of the granite massif known as 'The Nut' which dominates Stanley’s place on the globe. - McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship - John Curnow
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by John Curnow
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
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Manly, QLD
