Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide

by Jenny McGuigan and Sail-World on 24 Dec 2005 While Sydney sailors believe theirs' is only one long race in the world that really matters, Melbourne has a race of its own, which is every bit as challenging as the Rolex Sydney to Hobart.

Now in its 33rd year, the 480 nautical mile blue water classic takes the competitors in their yachts out of Port Phillip Bay on the 27th of December every year, across Bass Strait, travelling down the rugged West Coast of Tasmania rounding the southern most tip of Australia, before heading up the Derwent River to the finish in Hobart.

As sailors are constantly reminded, when the roaring forties gales strike in the 'Westcoaster' as it is fondly called, there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. There are no friendly safe harbour like Eden, boats and sailors just have to tough out all the way round past the southern tip of Tasmasia.

Tasmanian yachting photographer Richard Beneett captured the spirit of his famour photo of Grant Wharington's Wild Thing picured here.

The race record is 1 day 23 hours and 15 minutes 38 seconds, set by Future Shock in 1996. The 2005 race has attracted a small but high quality field, with definite possibilities of setting a new race record, weather permitting of course.

Brian Pattinson’s Gusto, the 18.3 metre Open 60, will be vying for line honours and a race record with the classic 20 metre Adams, Helsal II skippered by Bill Rawson.

Helsal II has raced in all parts of the world with high degrees of success and yet has not made it to Hobart. Last year they withdrew from the Sydney Hobart fleet with a ripped main and in 1999 they were forced to withdraw from the Melbourne to Hobart when they were 60 nautical miles in the lead. Bill and sailing master Simon Dryden are very determined to make it all the way to Hobart this year, preferably in record time.

Not to be ignored is the Tasmanian entrant Quetzalcoatl, 12.33 metre Jones 40, which last year took line honours, or the dark horse Tevake II.

Tevake II is skippered by Angus Fletcher, the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria's Commodore. The boat is a 13.70 metre Radford design which is new to the waters around Melbourne. Described as long, lean and light, Tevake II is built for speed giving Angus and the crew a chance to improve on their second over the line in 2000 and 2004.

Although Tony Warren, skipper of Beyond Outrageous, doesn’t want to put his boat into the line honours mix, he and his 11.90 metre Inglis 37 are a formidable combination. With some 22,000 serious ocean racing miles, this combination can reasonably expect to be in Hobart in the top order.

The long-standing trophy for the overall handicap winner of the race is named the Heemskirk Perpetual Trophy. Handicap honours are always more difficult to fathom, but By Order of The secretary (BOOTS) a Cavalier 37, ably skippered by George Shaw and Rough Red, a Farr 11.04 skippered by Warren Schenk and Kevin Robinson, are the back markers who could make this race their own.

Farr 11.04’s have won this race more often than any other boat with Hot Prospect taking the 1977, ‘78, and '79 races, with Relentless taking 1980.

With only three days to go until the start of this classic blue water race, this year’s entrants are finalising preparations. The crews and their families will enjoy the 'down time' of Christmas day but are ready to take to the start line in the Cock of the Bay on the 26th, with a 4pm start to the big race on the 27th on Port Phillip Bay.

This year the race has attracted a new sponsor, whose name has deep links to Tasmania. 'It is especially apt that Heemskirk Consolidated is to sponsor this great race down the West Coast of Tasmania,' comments Angus Fletcher, Commodore of the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria. 'Their name originates directly from that first successful voyage of discovery of Tasmania by Abel Tasman in his famous sailing ship the Heemskirk.'

Heemskirk Consolidated is an ASX listed global mining house and the company has key operations and investments in Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Senegal.

http://www.heemskirk.com