OKI 24 Hour Race sets sail this weekend

by Chris Thorley on 25 Mar 2010
The OKI 24 Hour Race which gets underway this weekend at Lake Pupuke will be officially opened by North Shore mayor Andrew Williams and closed by internationally renowned commentator Peter Montgomery.

Murrays Bay Sailing Club Rear Commodore, Sean McDonald, said while the race is a serious endurance event, it is also a lot of fun for both participants and spectators.

One of New Zealand's most unique yachting events, the OKI 24 Hour Race requires competing teams to sail non-stop in rotating shifts for a period of 24 hours in laser class boats.

'The Race gets underway with competitors running down the banks of Lake Pupuke in a Le Mans style start and then jumping into their boats,' McDonald said.

'Under the Race rules, each team member can sail for a maximum of three hours before they are required to rest for a minimum of one hour.

'Crew members embark and disembark from their yachts from a pontoon positioned on the lake – it can result in some great thrills and spills for weary competitors. Ultimately, the winning team is the one that completes the most number of laps within the 24-hour period.'

McDonald said the event attracts a wide variety of entrants including a number of international competitors.

Every year we have been more surprised than the last with the weather served up for the event. From howling 30 knot southerlies to 2 knots of shifting breeze in the middle of the night and everything in between, we have seen it all.

McDonald said funds raised from the event, which has been running since the 1960s, are used by the Murray's Bay Sailing Club for youth coaching.

'The Race is for a great cause – up-and-coming young talent - and we have had excellent support from a wide range of organisations and the local community.'

The OKI 24-Hour race kicks off at Lake Pupuke on 27 March, 2010 at 2pm and concludes on Sunday 28 March at 2pm.