Melbourne to Launceston - Rudder Cup

by Simon Dryden on 1 Dec 2008 Organised by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria and covering some 198nm, the Kidder Williams M2L, is in fact the world’s fifth oldest race. Now 101 years old, this race pre-dates other classics like the Fastnet by 20 years and the Sydney to Hobart by nearly 40 years.

The race itself had very auspicious beginnings. Thomas Fleming Day, then Editor of the prestigious American magazine ‘Rudder’, wrote to his friend T. A. Dickson, the Commodore of the Geelong Yacht Club and suggested a race across Bass Strait in order to promote the sport of yachting and proffered an impressive 60 Guinea trophy as the prize – ‘The Rudder Cup’.

The inaugural race of 1907 used the same course as today – Port Phillip Heads to Low Head at the mouth of the Tamar River. A 48foot yawl named ‘Thistle’ won that race. Interestingly, she was skippered by one Edgar Newland, who had his wife and daughter onboard as part of the crew. By account, Bass Strait served up some its most delightful conditions, with Mrs Newland refusing to relinquish the Rudder Cup for future races, in an effort to dissuade other crews from attempting such a ‘treacherous crossing’, as she put it. Alas, as history is her judge, that did not work.

It was in 1960’s that their son presented the Rudder Cup back to the Cruising Yacht Club of Victoria (now ORCV) for the dash across ‘The Paddock’, which is how Bass Strait is often referred to. The race record for the dash now stands at just under 20 hours. Some trips can be a bit longer – it is up to the crews and of course, Bass Strait’s infamous weather. As with any great ocean race, a warm welcome and cold slab of beer awaits all finishing boats, irrespective of when you arrive.

Just slightly upstream of Low Head, is the very aptly named Beauty Point, where the Tamar Yacht Club has just built its new clubhouse.

In 2008, this modern, well-equipped facility will serve as the M2L base for the very first time, as the fleet arrives and then partakes in the final leg of the three-part, ‘Rudder Cup Series’.

On December 31st each year, the fleet has the ‘TasPorts Cup’ local race run by the TYC. Points gained from this race, as well as the Entire Group ‘Cock of the Bay’ on Port Phillip and the Kidder Williams ‘Melbourne to Launceston’ are combined for the prestigious title.