Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Riversdale Estate Wines Launceston to Hobart Race - Preview

by Peter Campbell 26 Dec 2018 01:10 PST 27 December 2018
The Fork in the Road is again favourite for line honours - Launceston to Hobart Race © Peter Campbell

Tamar Yacht Club and Derwent Sailing Squadron race officers are considering moving the starting line of tomorrow's Riversdale Estate Wines L2H 2018 (Launceston to Hobart) yacht race nearer the mouth of the Tamar River, or even setting a line in Bass Strait, off Low Head.

The 285 nautical mile race is scheduled to start at 09:00 hours tomorrow (Thursday, 27 December) from a line off Inspection Head Wharf at Beauty Point.

A fleet of 26 yachts, from southern, northern and eastern Tasmanian clubs, and one from Victoria, have entered the 12th edition of the L2H.

The early start time has been set to reduce the river's tidal effect on the fleet and the latest forecast issued on Boxing Day was for the lightest of breezes. TYC race officers, in consultation with the DSS, may act on the contingency plans in the sailing instructions and move the start line down river.

The 12th edition of the L2H has attracted a high quality fleet, headed by six-times line honours victor The Fork in the Road, skippered by Hobart yachtsman and former Olympic sailor Gary Smith.

A strong rival for line honours is Tilt, Peter and Catherine Cretan Marten 49 which took line honours in 2016 and was duelling for the lead with The Fork in Road when forced to retire from last year's L2H.

Favoured to do well on corrected time is Philosopher, Shaun Tiedemann's Sydney 36cr, regarded as the 'gun boat' from Hobart and winner of the recent Maria Island Race and current IRC Australian champion.

Filepro, the syndicate-owned Lyons 40 skippered by Tim Gadsby, and B&G Advantage, Jeff Cordell's Mumm 36, which won the inaugural L2H in 2007, are also strong contenders until IRC and AMS scoring.

If light winds early in the race are followed by freshening northerly breezes, this could favour the smaller boats on corrected time, including 2015 overall winner Off-Piste, Paul Einoder's Beneteau Oceanis 34, and Footloose, Stewart Geeves' Young 88.

Family crew from Victoria in L2H

Melbourne medical professionals and enthusiastic sailors Sarah and Bernard Allard have twice contested the Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race as a two-handed crew, both times encountering severe storms that destroyed their hopes of success.

Tomorrow, when they sail again in the L2H they will have two extra crew, their teenage children Nicholas (18) and Lisette (16), aboard their Elan 410, Saltair.

"We an adventure family...we've done lots of sailing together and we walked the Cradle Mountain Overland Track in winter's snow", skipper Sarah said aboard Saltair at the Tamar Yacht Club marina at Beauty Point today.

"In the 2012 race we had broken steering off Cape Raoul and although we fixed it, we retired from the race.

"In 2013 Saltair was hit a severe storm off Maria Island but we did finish the race. "Saltair is a sturdy boat and very seakindly....I love to sail her out in the ocean...we had a 35 knot northerly crossing Bass Strait to Beauty Point," added Sarah, a member of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, a nursing sister who was brought up in Hobart and married her vascular surgeon husband Bernard in Victoria.

The 26-boat fleet in the Riversdale Estate Wines L2H 2018 is scheduled to start from Beauty Point at 09:00 hours tomorrow, 27 December.

Related Articles

2025 Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, USA Day 2
Final four skippers emerge from a competitive qualifying double-round robin stage A thrilling second day of racing at the 2025 Santa Maria Cup saw the final four skippers emerge from a competitive qualifying double-round robin stage. Posted today at 4:47 am
Scandinavian Gold Cup at Sopot, Poland Day 1
A slow start with very little wind The Scandinavian Gold Cup opened Thursday in Sopot, Poland, with seven 5.5 Metres competing for this historic and iconic trophy that dates back to 1922. Unfortunately, there was not enough wind to even complete one race. Posted on 5 Jun
Brooklyn kids launch 7 ft boats they built by hand
Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our boat-building students Brooklyn Boatworks, a local nonprofit that teaches NYC public school students—mostly from underserved communities—to build and launch their own wooden sailboats from 3 sheets of plywood, a set of plans, and tools. Posted on 5 Jun
49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Europeans Day 3
A six-hour bake on the water Veteran and multi-Olympic race officer Sulis was clear at the morning briefing, "Our priority is to get three races for the 49er so they can progress to the gold fleet." Posted on 5 Jun
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Day 3
Platoon Aviation turn up the heat but don't dent American Magic Quantum Racing's lead After a disappointing first regatta of the season when they finished in an uncharacteristic last position in Saint-Tropez, the fortunes of the German flagged 2023 52 SUPER SERIES overall champions Platoon Aviation seem to have turned for the better. Posted on 5 Jun
Diverse international fleet for 5th AEGEAN 600
The race start is a little over 1 month away In a sign that this newest of the world's 600-mile classic offshore races has reached maturity, organizers from the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club are pleased to announce yet another large international fleet will be assembled for the 2025 AEGEAN 600. Posted on 5 Jun
Newport International Boat Show joins Sail Newport
Premier northeast boat show donates $5,000 to community efforts The Newport International Boat Show, presented by BankNewport announced today its continued involvement in supporting Sail Newport to aid in a shared dedication to attract new boaters to a lifetime of making memories on the water. Posted on 5 Jun
Sinclair Championship Preview
Noroton Yacht Club (NYC) at the center of thriving Women's Sailing Program Up to a dozen of the country's top women sailing teams will come to the Noroton Yacht Club (NYC) again to compete in the 2025 Susan Widmann Sinclair Women's Championship June 13th-15th. Posted on 5 Jun
America's Cup: Another sponsor signs for Italians
Luna Rossa has announced that Unipol has renewed its trust in the team Luna Rossa has announced that Unipol has renewed its trust in the team and will accompany it as an official sponsor for the duration of the 38th America's Cup. Posted on 5 Jun
SailGP: Media Conference concludes in New York
The media conference ahead of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix has concluded, without any speci The media conference ahead of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix has concluded, without any special points being revealed, save for Brazil lending a crew member to Germany. Posted on 5 Jun
Mackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMExposure MarineSea Sure 2025