Auckland to Russell Race- Konica Minolta wins HSBC Coastal Classic

by Zoe Wilde on 23 Oct 2004 Konica Minolta was the first boat home in the HSBC Coastal Classic, crossing the finish line at Russell Wharf at around 6.20am today.

Arriving at the Russell Wharf finish line 120 miles up the coast, must have seemed a long way in the future for the competitors when maximising even the smallest puff of breeze could make the difference between winning and losing to your rival.

At 98 feet, Konica Minolta, a Brett Bakewell-White designed supermaxi, was the biggest entry in this year’s race.

Konica Minolta’s nearest rivals were approximately 12 miles behind when she finished.

Brian Carter, Spokesperson of the New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club, says, ‘This has been a very challenging race. Light air racing is the trickiest of all. You have to take every advantage you can get. Congratulations to the crew on their success.’

236 yachts started and at least 30 have retired from the race, with some never making it through Hauraki Gulf as the breeze died and left them stranded.

An approaching front is forecast to bring strong northerlies with it, which will provide yachts still racing at the tail end of the fleet with speedier conditions for the last third of the race.

One of the smallest boats in the fleet, a Farr 727 called ‘Yotasaurus’ is currently around two miles north of Sail Rock (close to Tutukaka).

Skipper Dean Jolley says they expect to finish the race late on Saturday evening.

The HSBC Coastal Classic commenced at 10am on Friday 22 October.

It is New Zealand’s most famous coastal yacht race, starting in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and finishing at Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands.

230 yachts entered in 2004. Major sponsors include HSBC, CRC, Waiwera Infinity Water, North Sails, Line 7, Masport, Dubarry Sea Boots, Loaded Hog, Steinlager and Mount Gay Rum.

The current race record is 7 hours, 20 minutes and 51 seconds, set by Split Enz in 1996. Konica Minolta’s time this year was almost three times that. www.coastalclassic.co.nz

Div Yacht Name Sail No Kawau Tutukaka Cape Brett Russell

1 KONICA MINOLTA 10001 22/10 14:35:00 22/10 19:28:00 23/10 04:24:00 23/10 06:19:02

1 FORMULA ONE 8461 22/10 14:43:00 22/10 19:41:00 23/10 05:48:00 23/10 07:47:52

1 HYDROFLOW 8425 22/10 14:50:00 22/10 19:23:00 23/10 05:41:00 23/10 07:50:37

1 GEORGIA 10000 22/10 14:43:00 22/10 20:32:00 23/10 07:22:00 23/10 09:04:49

1 MAVERICK II 8660 (5545) 22/10 14:48:00 22/10 19:54:00 23/10 07:30:00 23/10 09:09:52

1 ANTICIPATION 2222 22/10 15:50:00 22/10 21:47:00 23/10 08:12:00 23/10 10:18:07

1 M1 8460 22/10 15:10:00 22/10 21:37:00 23/10 08:29:00 23/10 10:25:12

1 SATELLITE SPY 6162 22/10 15:19:00 22/10 23:39:00 23/10 08:28:00 23/10 10:38:38

1 JAZZ PLAYER 39000 23/10 09:12:00 23/10 10:43:09

6 MC MOGGY 7805 22/10 15:19:00 23/10 00:16:00 23/10 09:33:00 23/10 11:19:21

1 O'SINNERMAN 9194 22/10 15:34:00 22/10 21:45:00 23/10 09:18:00 23/10 11:27:47

7 FULLY CHARGED 7415 22/10 15:57:00 23/10 09:25:00 23/10 11:39:50

2 FORCE ELEVEN 156 22/10 15:26:00 22/10 22:20:00 23/10 09:29:00 23/10 11:52:16

7 DRAGON 7414 22/10 16:19:00 23/10 00:28:00 23/10 09:35:00 23/10 11:56:21

1 JIVE TALKIN' 8800 22/10 16:03:00 22/10 21:38:00 23/10 09:54:00 23/10 12:00:07

2 FUN-N-GAMES 8760 22/10 15:56:00 23/10 00:07:00 23/10 09:56:00 23/10 12:07:56

1 BARE ESSENTIALS 9395 22/10 16:22:00 23/10 00:02:00 23/10 10:28:00 23/10 12:08:30

1 HIGHER GROUND 6883 22/10 21:45:00 23/10 12:11:25

7 OCEAN PACIFIC 7770 22/10 15:23:00 22/10 23:48:00 23/10 10:35:00 23/10 12:12:10

2 FEZ 5797 22/10 16:52:00 22/10 22:53:00 23/10 10:06:00 23/10 12:12:24

1 SURE THING 8041 22/10 18:03:00 23/10 00:06:00 23/10 09:58:00 23/10 12:13:20

6 ZEPHUROS 7582 22/10 15:49:00 23/10 00:15:00 23/10 10:37:00 23/10 12:18:01

2 BLACKOUT 9140 22/10 15:52:00 23/10 10:14:00 23/10 12:20:13

7 SILVERAIDER 7515 22/10 16:46:00 23/10 02:53:00 23/10 10:43:00 23/10 12:23:58

1 CHAYAH 8681 22/10 15:49:00 22/10 21:37:00 23/10 10:18:00 23/10 12:32:59

6 RAZZEL 7557 22/10 16:04:00 23/10 01:12:00 23/10 10:46:00 23/10 12:38:37

2 ARETHUSA 3591 22/10 17:50:00 22/10 23:38:00 23/10 10:15:00 23/10 12:52:20

2 OKI MAX 8468 22/10 15:51:00 22/10 21:53:00 23/10 10:41:00 23/10 12:54:29

6 SUNDREAMER 7300 22/10 17:58:00 23/10 01:30:00 23/10 11:11:00 23/10 13:11:40

1 ACTIVATOR 9189 22/10 17:20:00 22/10 22:53:00 23/10 11:05:00 23/10 13:11:46

1 REVS 8234 22/10 15:19:00 22/10 22:56:00 23/10 11:25:00 23/10 13:14:32

1 WILD CARD 9798 22/10 15:54:00 22/10 21:33:00 23/10 11:34:00 23/10 13:39:33

6 CARELESS INTENT 7584 22/10 15:16:00 23/10 01:30:00 23/10 12:05:00 23/10 13:39:39

2 PATATTACK 8671 22/10 17:29:00 22/10 23:50:00 23/10 11:30:00 23/10 13:45:34

7 TIMBERWOLF 7543 22/10 15:22:00 22/10 23:33:00 23/10 12:21:00 23/10 13:47:56

2 SECOND NATURE 8147 22/10 17:20:00 22/10 23:31:00 23/10 11:35:00 23/10 13:55:34

2 ACCLAIM 5151 22/10 17:50:00 23/10 00:06:00 23/10 11:43:00 23/10 13:55:52

6 X-FACTOR 7575 22/10 15:53:00 23/10 02:18:00 23/10 13:56:07

3 ELLI-PHUNK 6855 22/10 17:33:00 23/10 11:42:00 23/10 13:57:05

1 HIGH OCTANE 9696 22/10 15:46:00 22/10 23:49:00 23/10 12:00:00 23/10 13:59:56

2 FUTURE FEEDBACK 6682 22/10 17:43:00 23/10 01:12:00 23/10 11:57:00 23/10 14:00:30

3 PRIME SUSPECT II 5850 22/10 17:19:00 22/10 23:27:00 23/10 11:17:00 23/10 14:01:08

1 BOBBY'S GIRL 4001 22/10 15:30:00 22/10 22:57:00 23/10 14:02:28

1 SABABA 9250 22/10 16:30:00 22/10 22:46:00 23/10 12:26:00 23/10 14:02:46

2 MIDNIGHT EXPRESS 4334 22/10 17:28:00 22/10 23:30:00 23/10 11:40:00 23/10 14:03:40

3 SHARE DELIGHT 6225 22/10 17:34:00 22/10 23:56:00 23/10 12:08:00 23/10 14:04:37

3 HARD LABOUR 6358 22/10 23:54:00 23/10 11:56:00 23/10 14:06:23

3 FUTURE ROAD 5787 22/10 17:45:00 23/10 00:05:00 23/10 12:04:00 23/10 14:08:34

4 REAL DEAL 194 22/10 17:33:00 23/10 00:29:00 23/10 14:16:19

2 HONEYWELL 5484 22/10 17:23:00 22/10 23:17:00 23/10 13:22:00 23/10 14:17:12

7 HOOTERS 7475 22/10 18:32:00 23/10 09:39:00 23/10 12:53:00 23/10 14:17:50

7 EXODUS 7558 22/10 15:03:00 22/10 23:17:00 23/10 13:18:00 23/10 14:21:18

2 GRAND LARCENY 4158 22/10 18:07:00 23/10 00:14:00 23/10 12:40:00 23/10 14:26:15

1 TIME TO BURN 8434 22/10 15:51:00 22/10 23:31:00 23/10 13:20:00 23/10 14:58:31

2 FUSIO 9000 22/10 18:31:00 23/10 00:49:00 23/10 12:49:00 23/10 15:01:06

3 SLIVER 4974 22/10 19:06:21 23/10 03:59:00 23/10 13:10:00 23/10 15:07:54

3 DRUMS OF TIME 8007 22/10 17:29:00 23/10 00:14:00 23/10 12:51:00 23/10 15:11:13

3 AZURE 6121 23/10 03:53:00 23/10 13:19:00 23/10 15:15:58

1 OUTLAW 9070 22/10 15:30:00 22/10 23:32:00 23/10 13:37:00 23/10 15:21:19

6 OVERDRIVE 7548 22/10 15:47:00 22/10 23:58:00 23/10 13:42:00 23/10 15:23:05

4 PINK CADILLAC 6586 22/10 17:58:00 23/10 03:27:00 23/10 13:07:00 23/10 15:25:24

8 KIWI COYOTE 9009 22/10 18:49:00 23/10 01:22:00 23/10 13:20:00 23/10 15:27:43