Mount Gay Gosford to Lord Howe Yacht Race - Final call for entries

by G2LHI Media on 14 Feb 2014 Mount Gay Gosford to Lord Howe Island Yacht Race 2014 organisers, the Gosford Sailing Club, wishes to remind skippers that the close off for entries in this year’s race, is Friday 21st February.

The 40th edition of the Blue water classic has attracted quality entries to date and due to mooring limitations in the lagoon at Lord Howe Island, the race fleet will again be restricted to a maximum of 16 boats.

The GSC is pleased with the mix of entries received so far from both regular competitors and new comers to the event, not the least of which is the 2013 Sydney to Hobart winner Victoire.

This will be the first visit to Lord Howe for the canting keel Cookson 50 and the first race to the island for skipper Darryl Hodgkinson.

Regulars Southern Excellence II and Exile whose skippers are mooring sponsors, were the first entries accepted by the by the Gosford Club. Both yachts contested the 2013 running of the race which saw light and fickle conditions prevail in the Tasman Sea throughout the race and the overall race time was one of the slowest in recent memory.

More recently SExII completed a tough Sydney to Hobart in what was the first decent hit out for the VO70 since Andrew Wenham purchased the former Ichi Ban in early 2013. Wenham told the GSC that he and the crew had a frustrating run of successive light air races including the 2013 G2LHI and Sydney-Gold Coast races since purchasing the boat but now look forward to a harder G2LHI in 2014.

Exile skipper Rob Reynolds says that he is very pleased with the way the DK46 is going and feels that his current crew mix are getting the best out of the 2012 Pittwater- Coffs Harbour winner. Exile did the chasing to finish second overall in this year’s Coffs race after Ragamuffin TP52 picked up on freak weather pattern to record a tear away win.

Exile went on the win the Coffs regatta overall and Reynolds says that the crew are very motivated going into this year’s G2LHI Race, particularly Navigator Julie Hodder who we hear is a big fan of the Mount Gay brand.

The GSC are keen to hear from interested owners of boats with IRC TCF’s greater than 1.30 that can work into a turnaround mooring share plan to help boost the fleet.