Runaway   Daniel Turner Tom Crabb

 

Runaway was constructed by Jon Sayer in particularly for the 2003 Melbourne to Osaka Double-Handed Yacht Race in which she competed as Team FGI. The yacht won its division easily that year and placed third in line honours.

 

Upon returning to Australia Runaway was sold to James Ryssenbeek and Andrew McCole who specifically purchased the yacht to campaign for the following M2O event in 2007. They competed in various races during the lead up including Melbourne to Hobart (West Coasters) and the Melbourne to Vanuatu yacht race in the double-handed division where they achieved many accolades. Their campaign was unfortunately unsuccessful in the race itself after sustaining keel damage off the East Australian Coast. 

Runaway received a complete makeover after this time which included a new keel and rudder then initially began looking towards the 2013 race. This never eventuated and the yacht was placed back on the market.  Runaway was then purchased by Drew Carruthers in Brisbane who has an extensive background in ocean racing and decided to take the yacht down a different path of fully crewed racing and has campaigned the yacht successfully in recent years in races along the East Australian Coast. The results in the last 12 months alone included 3^rd place in ORCi and 2^nd Place PHS (1^st Div 2) in the 2015 Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race, 7^th line honours and 2^nd PHRF in the 2016 Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, 4^th PHS in the 2016 Pittwater to Coffs Yacht Race and 1^st line honours in the 2016 Coffs to Paradise Yacht Race.

Due to the decision to construct a catamaran, Drew placed Runaway on the market and has recently been purchased by the current owner Daniel Turner with the 2018 Melbourne to Osaka race specifically in mind. Daniel grew up in Port Lincoln, South Australia and has been involved with sailing since a young age due to his family which have always been heavily involved with the sport for generations on both sides. Despite being a relative newcomer blue-water sailing, he believes the yacht that has been purchased will suit his skills developed from many years of dinghy racing. Daniel also spent 4 ½ years in the Australian Army as a Combat Engineer and Combat Fitness Leader which has instilled a determination to succeed and a resilient personality which he believes will attribute to the overall success of the campaign. 

Being an avid amateur endurance athlete, in recent years Daniel has also been involved with ultra running and in 2015 successfully completed the ‘Marathon Des Sables’ which is a 265km self-supported multi-stage race across the Sahara Desert and is considered the toughest footrace on the planet. It wasn’t until after this race that a decision was made to achieve his yachting goals including the Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race. 

Daniel, will be joined by Tom Crabb for the 2018 Osaka campaign who brings a wealth of experience to the team. After developing a love for the sport and sailing in general, Tom began a shipwright apprenticeship as well as being involved with many yacht deliveries. Aside from clocking up over 20,000nm delivery miles plus 15,000nm short-handed miles, Tom has competed in many offshore events including Sydney to Hobarts, Sydney to Southports, Sydney to Mooloolaba, Melbourne to King Island, Melbourne to Hobart, Okinawa to Gamagori, Kobe to Yokohama and the 2007 Melbourne to Osaka Yacht race which he competed on his Adams 11.9. Although only knowing each other for a small period of time, Daniel and Tom's personalities have clicked and the pair have quickly become good friends. After discussing the idea in detail as well as spending time together at sea for a portion of  Runaway’s recent delivery back to South Australia, the guys are both confident of a successful campaign in the 2018 Osaka race.

The team intend on spending the coming months getting to know the yacht further as well as completing a full refit to allow the yacht to reach her full potential in the Melbourne to Osaka Campaign. To keep an eye out for the Runaway Team and what they are up to you can follow the links below:

Website:  http://www.runawayracing.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runawaysailing/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/runaway_sailing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runawayracing/

Statistics

Design: Sayer 11 / Sumo 101

LOA: 11.00m

Beam: 3.95m

Draft: 2.8m

Build Date: 2003

Builder: Jon Sayer

Hull: Carbon Fibre

Skippers: Daniel Turner / Tom Crabb

DIV: AMS and Performance

Rep: CYCSA / PLYC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allegro   Adrian Lewis Glenn Scheen

 

Allegro means ‘quick and lively’ (or ‘upbeat’ in the musical sense).  Skipper Adrian Lewis from Red Hill South (Victoria) notes that  ‘quick’ is a relative statement when it comes to Allegro the yacht.   She is quick for a cruising boat with 7 air conditioners, sewerage and desalination plants and more appliances than Harvey Norman!  But hardly a quick, stripped out racing machine!!  The M2O has always been one of those races that has been ‘on the list’ following discussions with past competitors who

“tell us it is the best race they’ve ever done and a race we will never forget”.

Adrian has undertaken many blue water deliveries up and down the east coast Australia and out to New Zealand and the Pacific. Ocean racing includes seven Sydney to Hobarts, Auckland to Fiji, Melbourne to Vanuatu, Melbourne to Hobart, and many Bass Strait races including Melbourne to King Island/Port Fairy/Stanley/Apollo Bay.  Adrian’s family (wife, son and daughter) are all experienced sailors and enjoy sailing on Allegro.

Co-skipper, 31-year-old Glenn Scheen (Mount Eliza – Victoria), has also undertaken many blue water deliveries and had similar experiences to Adrian.  Glenn’s parents were keen and experienced sailors, homeschooling Glenn on a yacht when he was a child. 

A Warwick 67, Allegro will undergo minimal changes for the M2O 2018 race.  She was designed as a round the world cruiser which could be safely sailed 2 handed.  She has competed in many of the races mentioned above as well as three Sydney to Cabbage Tree Island races!  Adrian says:

“We like to be ‘lively’ as you may see if you visit our stalk book page, but only if you’re brave enough, it’s not for the faint hearted”.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allegro-Yachting-Geomatic-Racing/527768527324388

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elektra  Chris Wilson Geoff Graham

 

Chris Wilson and Geoff Graham, both members of the Newhaven Yacht Squadron on Phillip Island, Victoria, are looking forward to sailing Elektra to Osaka in 2018.  A Bruce Farr Beneteau First 47.7, Elektra’s home port is the Yarringa Marina at Somerville on the Mornington Peninsula.  Chris and Geoff have both achieved Club Champion status (Geoff three times).   Chris has also been awarded Australian Junior champion in 1988. 

Elektra has undertaken many races since launching in 2002.  Since then, there have been a number of alterations, and a major overhaul more recently.  The skipper and co-skipper have raced against and with each other for many of years and are looking forward to the challenge of the 5500 nautical mile short handed race.  Both have enjoyed cruising in Australian and overseas waters.    In addition to sailing, Chris spends his (rare) spare time surfing and fishing.  Elektra will be taking some tackle along on the journey to Japan!

The Edge  David Kenny Paul Schulz

 

Long time sailing buddies David Kenny and Paul Schulz,  have sailed with or against one another over many year and developed an interest in the M2O race early on.  After hesitating for a short time when David (who lives in Melville, Western Australia) popped the question - “will you go to Osaka with me” – Paul (who lives in North Balgowlah NSW) said yes! 

Both men cite the personal challenge of sailing short handed and the love of sailing as being their motivation to undertake the M2O 2018, using and gaining seamanship skills.  David has sailed the entire WA coast, crossed the Great Australian Bight and explored Tasmania.  He also completed a double handed crossing from Capetown to Fremantle, stopping only once for a few hours at the extremely remote Isle de St Pauls in the Southern Indian Ocean.  Paul has competed in a number of ocean races and sailed in the Pacific.

Paul is an Australian 18ft Skiff Champion and has twice been runner up in the JJ Giltinan 18 ft Skiff Championships. His special moment is remembered as being the first Sydney to Hobart start he was involved in.  David’s  personal best is remembered as “a very quick trip from Fremantle to Geraldton with a bunch of mates including a massive Chinese gybe”.   Both have had scary moments – wrestling aloft with torn sails in horrendous weather (David);  and signing up for the M2O!! (Paul).

While David’s family are “champagne” sailors, Paul’s wife and son Harry are both keen sailors – although Harry doesn’t know it yet!!  A Sunfast 3200 Bermudian Sloop, The Edge is so named for living “on the edge”.  Think coral reefs or mangroves;  or skiing very fast down a mountain;  or in fact racing to Osaka from Melbourne double handed.!  Perhaps David can relive the experience of a pod of dolphins seen in the middle of the Great Australian bight on a dark but very pleasant night, playing in the bow wave and scooting down the sides of the yacht stirring up bioluminescence and a flash of fluoro green each time their fins broke the surface.  That’s something to look out for.

Yacht model	Sunfast 3200 Bermudian Sloop
Race Group	Double handed division
Home Port	Port of Fremantle
Yacht Club	East Fremantle Yacht Club
Nation of Entry	Australian
LOA	10.1m
B Max	3.48m
Displacement	3.5T
Draft	1.9m