ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Finally, there were none!

On 18/07/2010 at 12:10:49 AEST, Slinky Malinky finished the 2010 M2V. As the last boat in, this piece actually finishes the coverage of the racing section of Australia's longest Category One ocean epic. It may be two weeks and a little bit of change since they started, but Eric Marsh and crew have relished the challenges, worked through the lows and most importantly, been there for fellow competitors in a time of need. Well done to the Slinkies on so many fronts!

Slinky Malinky on July 4, 2010. Pic © Teri Dodds.

We will bring you pictures of the presentations and also the container and its contents, as soon as is practicable. A big thank you to all those who dug deep and got Robyn Brooke's container so full of humanitarian aid. To Rotary International, Extra Transport for getting the container to the ship and APC Logistics for getting it to Vanuatu, we say ‘cheers’.

Cheers also to all the competitors. Well done. Competitors need fantastic Skippers, who get their boats ready and enter them. Well done to those ten magnificent people, especially the ones making it for the first time. To those that did not quite make it, we hope (and actually kind of know) you'll be back for more. We also really appreciate you making the time to send us updates of your travels, too.

Well done to the ORCV Sailing Committee, as well. A race like this needs a heap of organisation and the individuals responsible for this were Chairman Simon Dryden, Race Director Bob Tanner, Vice Commodore Don Fraser for all the effort with the Tracker, Sally Williams, Dennis Livingston and Tanya Stanford in the office, Peter Clancy, Coast Radio Hobart (specifically Stuart Braunholz) and Kordia for being on those radios, AMSA for responding so efficiently along with the Victoria and Queensland Police Forces and also Customs and Immigration. The authorities in Noumea who expedited Mirrabooka’s entry into New Caledonia, after her retirement, are also very much appreciated.

On the ground locally in Vanuatu were the Vanuatu Cruising Yacht Club Commodore Sam Bell and Secretary, Jesse Bell. Showing that it is a sport based on camaraderie, were Brian Pattinson and Rob Date, who were there at Vila, welcoming the crews in, despite not being able to make it with their own boats.

A big thank you also to the all the media outlets that covered the race and all the activities that went a long with it. To Steb Fisher and Teri Dodds, who gave us rights to use their fantastic imagery - nice one. Finally then, to all the readers, thank you for your interest. It has been appreciated and we certainly acknowledge your effort to call or email and let us know what you thought. Very kind.

To the Scoreboards then:

Line Honours - Tevake II was the only boat to go over the top of New Caledonia and as such, disposed of their opposition, who at one stage had closed to within 19nm of Tevake's transom.

IRC - great effort by Turbo for the win and also in PHS and the two-handed crew aboard The Secretary for 3rd.

PHS - Garisenda, the Dark Horse, gets 3rd.

There will be more, eventually...

By John Curnow