Slow going in ORCV Melbourne to Hobart Race

The ORCV Melbourne to Hobart Race continues to be a fascinating affair, with the two leaders in sight of each other off the west coast of Tasmania. But it was another frustrating night for all competitors, with light winds making progress very slow.

At 8am, Lord Jiminy held a narrow lead over Soiree Bleu but both were showing just a couple of knots of boat speed with more than 260nm still to sail.

The situation shows no signs of improving, with light winds of less than 10 knots forecast until at least mid-morning on Monday.

Further back, third-placed Archie has just passed the north-west tip of Tasmania while Alien finally has the island in sight. Both were doing a mere 3.2 knots.

Lisa Blair and Jackie Parry on d’Albora’s Climate Action Now had another frustrating night but they and the four-plus-autohelm crew on Saltair at least have some way on this morning, sailing at 4.3 knots in a light nor-wester.

Before the race, Lisa Blair said they hoped to finish in three days. Lisa was the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica and holds the monohull record for sailing around Australia solo non-stop. She will be calling on all that experience over the next two or more days, hoping that when the wind does finally appear, it is from the right direction to speed all the boats to the finish line.

Saltair in the Melbourne to Hobart Race. Photo Steb Fisher

The race can be followed by opening the tracker at https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2019-orcv-melbourne-to-hobart-westcoaster

Tevake II watching the Start Photo Bruno Cocozza

ORCV Melbourne to Tasmania yacht races get under way in perfect conditions

The Mornington Peninsula turned on perfect weather for the two Victorian fleets which are racing to Tasmania this year. Under blue skies and with 15 knots of wind coming from the south-south-west, the combined fleets picked up speed under spinnaker and quickly exited through the Rip into the Bass Strait.

The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria has championed short-handed racing in Australia with its involvement in the Melbourne to Osaka (double-handed) race and by allowing four-crew-plus-autohelm in other offshore events. Their investment has paid off, with double-handed entries in the Melbourne to Hobart West Coaster and in the Melbourne to Devonport and two entries in the 4+autohelm division in the West Coaster.

Leading the charge for the short-handers are Lisa Blair and co-skipper Jackie Parry, who are racing to Hobart. Lisa made headlines when she became the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica and followed that by setting a new monohull record for around Australia solo and non-stop.

Lisa spoke about the race, saying their goal is to do it in three days, provided they can handle the areas of light winds they will encounter off the coast of Tasmania. You can hear more from Lisa in a short video at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aY_jqmc6nJ0.

Joining Lisa and Jackie on the Hobart start line were Lord Jiminy and Saltair in the 4+autohelm, along with three fully crewed yachts.

Saltair is a family entry, with a medical twist. Father Bernard is a vascular surgeon while wife Sarah is a nurse. Every year the couple takes their two children, currently aged 17 and 18, on a sailing holiday. One year it was a trip to Sydney for the Cadet Nationals and last year they competed in the Launceston to Hobart Race. After a family discussion, it was decided that 2019 would be the year of the west coast, and so the entry was made.

Lord Jiminy skipper Guillaume Leroux and crew Michelle Zwagerman recently discussed their west coaster campaign on the ORCV Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/OceanRacingClub).

Race Start

Leroux and his crew were obviously primed for the race as they led both fleets around the first turning mark inside the heads. Lord Jiminy turned just ahead of Tevake II (Angus Fletcher) and Shimmer (Jac and Steve Twentyman).

Once into the Bass Strait, all the Hobart fleet saw of Lord Jiminy was its stern disappearing into the distance at over 10 knots. Soiree Bleu and Archie were the best of the pursuers but the speed differential was considerable.

Tevake II led the Devonport fleet out of the Rip and immediately headed for Tasmania. Meanwhile, How Bizarre lived up to its name, staying on port tack and splitting totally from the rest of the boats. Only time will tell which strategy is better.

The ORCV Melbourne to Hobart Race is a Category 2 offshore race of 435 nautical miles. The race record stands at 1d 17h 28m 59s, set by Shortwave in 2008.

The ORCV Melbourne to Devonport Race covers 195 nautical miles straight across Bass Strait. The race record has stood since 1998 when it was set by Prowler in a very quick time of 19 hours 32 minutes and 56 seconds.

You can track the ORCV Melbourne to Devonport Race here (https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2019-orcv-melbourne-to-devonport) and the

ORCV Melbourne to Hobart here (https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2019-orcv-melbourne-to-hobart-westcoaster)

Jackie Parry and Lisa Blair are racing double-handed from Melbourne to Hobart. Photo ORCV Media (no credit required).

Lord Jiminy leads the ORCV fleet out of Port Phillip Bay. Photo Bruno Cocozza.

ABC New follows the start of the 2019 ORCV Melbourne to Devonport and Melbourne to Hobart yachts races with interviews with the Allard family who are taking a "family holiday"