Japan top two – race gets interesting

by Di Pearson on 7 Apr 2007 The Melbourne Osaka double handed yacht race has heated up in the last 24 hours, as the fleet closes in on race leader COCORIN interland due to different weather patterns as was predicted yesterday.

COCORIN interland, in the Solomon Sea to the west of the Georgia Group in the Solomon Islands this morning, is sailing just west of north, in a 12 knot northerly. Earlier in the morning, Itaru Matsunaga and John Bankart had to suffer 5 knots, knowing those behind were making up miles in a strong south-easterly.

Matsunaga reported they had entered the Solomon Sea yesterday morning in favourable winds east of Rossel Island. They prayed for all the people killed in the World War II and the recent undersea earthquake off Solomon Islands by pouring whisky into the ocean, also praying for a safe passage.

At 1100JST yesterday, he and Bankart were in an 8.5 knot westerly, 'It’s fine weather, boat speed 8 knots, hoisting full genoa, full main and full mizzen. Nice flat sea, 28 degrees Celcius in the cabin,' skipper Matsunaga said.

Gusto (Patrick Giudice/Brian Pattinson) is on a nor-nor-easterly course, headed for Honiara in the Guadalcanal, where they plan to fix the Open 60’s broken gooseneck. This necessary pit stop has already cost them precious time and second place, and will cost them more, but will ensure a safe and faster passage to Osaka in Japan.

A second Japanese yacht, Tamagomalu has taken over second place, only 113nm now separating Makoto Hisamatsu and Jimmi Doherty from the leaders. Interestingly, both yachts have Queenslander co-skippers, both of whom have done the race previously.

Jimmi ‘The Magician’ Doherty reported from Tamagomalu at 9.30am this morning: 'We had nice south-easterly winds yesterday, but this morning we had a light 5 knot northerly. We’re in 12 knots now, doing 6 knots of boat speed. We’ve just gone past Rossel Island (a waypoint).

'We just realised we’ve moved into second place – Makoto and I are very excited, because many people said we wouldn’t make the start. I feel like celebrating with a rum, but we only brought one drink each for when we cross the Equator – I can’t wait!

'We haven’t broken anything – touch wood – we are becoming the Steven Bradbury of sailing.' (Referring to Winter Olympics Australian gold medallist speed skater – the last man standing). However the two report broaching yesterday in a squall.

'We’ve been enjoying a bit of a three-boat race with Dekadence and Hullabaloo – as long as they stay behind us, I am happy for them to finish the race! We haven’t seen them or any of the other yachts; the only things we’ve sighted are a couple of ships.

'Cooking was difficult today – we’ve had to do it on port tack for the first time and everything’s back to front – it’s very confusing,' laughed the happy go-lucky Queenslander.

Doherty and Hisamatsu are well aware a number of those behind them are coming up fast in a sou-easter and that the fleet will compact. 'We will have to stay on our toes to deal with the soft stuff in this part of the world – and so will the others.'

Only 19 miles behind comes Dekadence, with a further seven miles to Hullabaloo, as the race becomes nail-bitingly close. It’s almost a soldiers march as the yachts follow practically the same track as COCORIN interland.

Asadori is only 95nm from Jim and Joe O’Keeffe’s Hullabaloo, Ingenue a further 77nm astern. Alex (Jock and Hamish MacAdie), as expected, has made up lost ground, just 103nm adrift, then comes little Wild Boar.

On watch at midnight last evening, co-skipper aboard Asadori, Kyojun Fujita reported: 'We encountered a squall with heavy rain. We recorded our best day-run of 194nm between 1700JST April 4 - 1700JST April 5.'

While Wild Boar’s Shozi Yoneda 'I experienced a seawater shower yesterday. We are now both are in clean condition!' At 0630JST, Yoneda said they were sailing well in the fine weather, wind force 5 from the north-east.

Esoterica is north of Townsville, and last placed Southern Light has lost a few miles on the rest, some 384 miles behind Esoterica now, abeam of Southport in Queensland.

At the morning sked, RYU-JIN – fgi was still ashore in Bundaberg but is expected to get going again later today.

Weather:
Solomon Islands – hot - 5 knot northerly

York Peninsula District - Isolated coastal showers tending scattered with isolated thunderstorms in the far north. Moderate SE to E winds, fresh and gusty about the east coast.

North Tropical Coast - Isolated coastal showers tending scattered overnight. Early drizzle clearing to a fine Fresh SE winds, becoming strong along the coast in the afternoon.

Cairns - Mostly cloudy with a shower or two, increasing by late afternoon. Fresh to strong SE winds.

Argos tracker positions at UTC 22.00.00 (8am AEST & 7am JPN Saturday):
COCORIN interland (Itaru Matsunaga/John Bankart), Tamagomalu (Makoto Hisamatsu/Jimmi Doherty), Gusto (Patrick Giudice/Brian Pattinson – heading Honiara to repair gooseneck), Dekadence (Phil Coombs/Peter Walsh), Hullabaloo (Jim and son Joe O’Keeffe), Asadori (Shinsuke Nishi/Kyojun Fujita), Ingenue (David James and wife Rosie Colahan), Alex (Jock and son Hamish MacAdie), Wild Boar (Shozi Yuneda/Jun Kanda), Esoterica (Campbell Reynolds/David Best), Southern Light (Tom Crabb/Trent Justice), RYU-JIN (Murray Bucknall/Jon Sayer – in Bundaberg effecting rudder repairs), Cadi (John and son David Netherton, retired), Wasabi (Ken Down/Shane Gaddes – retired), Runaway (James Ryssenbeek/Andrew McCole – retired - in Bundaberg), Pippin (Roger Sayers/Anthony Bown – retired).