Heaven Can Wait – Doing it tough

by Heaven Can Wait media on 3 Oct 2010 A torturous and challenging night for the 24 hour Heaven Can Wait race fleet.

The race for the 70 boat Heaven Can Wait One Lap Dash and 24 hour fleet started in 13 knots of breeze which built steadily into the 20’s, before dying away.

The One Lap Dash winner, Nathan Outteridge, finished in two hours seven minutes and 31 seconds.

However the challenge was on for the slower boats in the 24 hour Heaven Can Wait race. The first lap took seven hours for the tail gunners after which they began a very long night.

Between the 1705 radio sked and the 0505 sked the breeze averaged less than three knots and for much of the night there was more glass than breeze, with light drizzle adding to the difficulty.

Just on dawn the north easter came in with 15 knots to 20 knots and with it came the rain, followed by the inevitable wind drop. More ghosting, then more rain with squalls to around 28 knots.

The Race Leader Clive Kennedy’s Two Tribes powered past the start finish line during a morning squall.

'We did our best against those pesky little Moths on the first lap - our first lap took two hours 46 minutes but our longest in this wet, cold night took 11 hours. Now we are back at full throttle’ Kennedy said earlier today.

It was not at all easy at the back of the pack for Tony Burville and his Roobarb team. For them the lowest point came as the 22 footer headed south on her second lap - they missed a turn and were stuck on the mud in Bonnells Bay rather than heading for Mannering Park. 'We are keeping on keeping on...' stated Burville stoically.

More soon.