2005 Melbourne to Hobart Race

by Sail-World.com on 27 Dec 2005 The 480 mile Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart race started at 4pm today off Portsea in a 15-18 knot north easter.

Geelong photographer Teri Dodds was on the startline.

She reported the Pattinson/Giudice owned Open 60 Gusto led to the Queenscliff turning mark, ahead of Angus Fletcher's Radford 13.7 metre Tevake II. In third place was the Joshua Ey's Jones 40 Quetzalcoatl.

A tough day at the office for the Bill Rawson's 20 metre Helsal II, she was involved in start line incident, on the run to the turning mark, she dropped her spinnaker to complete a 720 degree penalty turn, but split the kite on the rehoist.

Melbourne to Hobart Start - the Official Report by Jennifer McGuigan.

At 4pm today in 15 knot northerlies, Noel May of the Ocean Racing Club Victoria started the 34th Melbourne to Hobart yacht race.

With the start off Portsea pier and a glorious hot Melbourne day the race drew a large spectator crowd both on and off the water.

The 12 starters in the Melbourne to Hobart were joined by the 24 starters from the Melbourne to Launceston race, in a spinnaker start awash with colour. The Farr 1104, Rough Red, won the battle to be first across the line, popping their spinnaker with perfect timing.

Helsal II allowed their spinnaker to contact Sandgroper and completed a 720 as soon as they were clear of the fleet. Avenger protested Beyond Outrageous for the same infringement and as they didn’t take a 720 this will be resolved in the protest room.

The Open 60 Gusto led to the first mark, off Queenscliff, despite not using their spinnaker, closely followed by Tevake II and Quetzalcoatl. To add to their woes, Helsal II split their spinnaker on the way to the first mark, though still rounding in fourth position.

Gusto raised their kite after the first mark and officially exited the heads first at 4.26 pm, closely followed by Tevake II, Quetzalcoatl and Helsal II. With winds predicted to be north westerly at 20-30 knots in the small hours of the morning the race record is under threat.

The most recent information from the leading yachts is that the four leading yachts have been jockeying for position since leaving the heads with the lead changing three times. All four are currently within two nautical miles of each other with Gusto in the lead.