The Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart Races.

Doing the Gold Thing!

Kate Mitchell, the other owner of Goldfinger, is always reminding the crew to get the black things (their behinds) off the Gold Thing, when they're hiking out the side going to windward. The Gold Thing has had a good day and a half at sea, without seeking to put the hex on them....

Our onboard reporter, Dean Robson, is in the yellow jacket, with Peter Blake in the blue and grey beannie. Chris Smethurst right in the corner and Scott Madden up on the bow. Cam McKenzie on the wheel.

Here then is Dean Robson's report from onboard. "Last night was a good sail, with a top speed of 16.7 knots and we got a sustained surf of 15.5kn for well over a minute. You can sure cover distance with speeds like that!"

"It has been a very trying morning and afternoon. We parked for about an hour over lunch time, with XLR8 and Veloce looming in the distance and making good speed. About 1:30pm, we got some breeze from the Sou'west and pulled heaps of distance out of them, while they stayed parked. Things beginning to look better on the overall standings on the Tracker.

"Just popped a kite now (3pm), halfway between Flinders Island and the top of Tassie. Heading out to sea on starboard gybe with 13kn breeze doing 10kn of boat speed, bit of current against us. It's a lovely sunny day - fashion stakes have been raised with a variety of thermals and shorts being displayed for a while. Breeze is a bit cool though..." Ed. At 5.30pm they were abeam Eddystone Point on the Nor'east corner of Tasmania.

"Go the Gold Thing"

Peter Blake driving Goldfinger during the 2010 Boxing Day Dash. Nigel Jones in yellow pants, Scott Esler next to him and Chris Smethurst looking straight at us...

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

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	Below is what is now known as the Red Wine Cup, for first in to Hobart via either coast.... In 2008 it went to the West and in 2009 it was the East. 2010????!!	With many thanks to our friends at 3AW for providing us with great coverage - listen in for all the fun.