34th Hempel Gosford to Lord Howe race tomorrow

by Peter Campbell on 26 Oct 2007 Manly Yacht Club boat Morna will once more be punching way above her weight when starting gun fires off Barrenjoey Head for the Hempel 34th Gosford to Lord Howe Island Yacht Race.

The small but sturdy Cavalier 35 is the smallest boat competing in this year's 414-mile blue water race across the Tasman Sea to the tiny volcanic island.

The 18 boat fleet (Endorfin is a late withdrawal) will start at 1:00pm from a line between Barrenjoey and Lion Island, heading up the NSW Central Coast to a rounding mark off The Haven at Terrigal before setting a north-easterly course across the Tasman Sea.

North-west to north-easterly winds of 5-15 knots are forecast for NSW coastal waters tomorrow, freshening to a 25-33 knots nor’easter on Sunday. A south-west to south-easterly change is expected late on Monday.

Morna's skipper, Greg Zyner, who is MYC's offshore race director, said today: 'We did the race last year and enjoyed it so much we must have been the first to apply for this year's event.

'I've even got the same crew again - they virtually booked their spots the day we finished last year.

'It's such a beautiful destination, and the race is, together with the Sydney to Hobart, the only true blue water, category one event in Australia.

'And because of the limited number of moorings out on the island, it's really difficult to gain entry ... it's probably the most exclusive yacht race in the world - besides the America's Cup, that is.'

With Peter Mosely's Sydney 36 Local Hero pulling out a few weeks back, Morna will also be the only yacht representing the volunteer-based Manly club, which is undergoing a resurgence with its growing offshore fleet and popular Friday night twilight races.

Zyner is anxious to improve on last year's sixth placing in the IRC division and to do so has held on to his experienced crew from last year, which includes MYC vice-commodore Jim Nixon, who will be making his 12th trip to Lord Howe, sailing instructor and fitness freak Vic Silk, whose husband Martin is currently skippering the West Australian entrant in the Clipper round-the-world race.

Also in the crew is Felicity Nelson, who has notched up 12 Sydney-Hobarts in a long offshore racing career, mostly on John Walker's Impeccable from Middle Harbour Yacht Club.

'As the smallest boat in the fleet, we have a good chance as long as the weather systems go in our favour,' said Nixon. 'While Morna isn't an out-and-out racer, she is strong and comfortable and she has a nice big genoa and loves reaching, so hopefully we'll get some of that.'

Shortly after acquiring the 35-footer in 2002, Zyner set her up for racing. After completing a season harbour racing, it did not take long for him to start venturing out the Heads, and some good results soon followed.

In last year's Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race, Morna took first place overall on PHS and in this year's race achieved first place on IRC in division three.

And after the Lord Howe race, Zyner will have some bigger fish to fry ... he's already got her entered in this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.