Please select your home edition
Edition
SOUTHERN-SPARS-MISSY-FURLING-BOOMS-728-X-90 TOP

Stunning sunset start for the 2023 Tollgate Islands Race

by CYCA 13 Oct 2023 03:39 PDT 13 October 2023
2023 Tollgate Islands Race © CYCA Media

A fleet of 22 boats were gathered near Point Piper for the 1900hrs start of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's 260 nautical mile Tollgate Islands Race - the third of six races in the prestigious 2023/2024 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore.

It was a beautiful and sunny Spring evening with a light but constant 6-8kt NE/NNE breeze - enough to guarantee a good and even start ahead of the lengthy trip south to round the Tollgate Islands off Batemans Bay before returning to Sydney.

Anthony Johnston's Reichel Pugh Maxi 72 URM Group continued its recent good form, having won the 2023 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race back in July, to be first out the Heads. She had closely crossed last year's winner and race record holder John Winning Jr's VPLP/Verdier 100 Andoo Comanche four times up the Harbour before finally gaining their advantage when the larger boat lost some ground after heading deeper into Watsons Bay.

The pair were closely followed by the two TP52s, Seb Bohm's Smuggler and Mark Spring's Highly Sprung, ahead of Richard Harris' Cookson 50 Sticky, Alexander Flecknoe-Brown's Bakewell-White 40 Lightning and Daniel Edward's Matt1245 White Noise.

The J/99s led the two-handed fleet out to open water with Shane Connelly and Tony Sutton aboard Rum Rebellion and Paul Beath and Joe de Kock on Verite pushing out mid-channel, whilst the two Jeanneau Sunfast 3300s, Nigel Nattrass and Graham Biehl's Tumbleweed and the only interstate entry, Tasmanians Rob Gough and John Saul's Kracken III, made good ground up the eastern shore.

It could be a relatively slow night ahead if the forecast 8-15kt breeze - expected to swing into the west before midnight - fails to freshen early but should offer better conditions for competitors tomorrow morning than had been previously suggested.

It is possible that the crew of Andoo Comanche may better their race record time of 20 hours,16 minutes 49 seconds, set last year in the inaugural 2022 Tollgate Islands Race. Most of the fleet is expected to arrive back at the finish line near Watsons Bay on Sunday

The Club will be open for returning competitors throughout the night on Saturday and Sunday if needed to welcome and feed all competitors.

Related Articles

Making Waves 2024 Sydney Regatta
The Making Waves Regatta will be held on Friday 27 September Save the date! The Making Waves Regatta will be held on Friday 27 September. Posted on 5 Apr
Pallas Capital Gold Cup Act 1
Matador charges to win David Doherty's Matador took the win in a closely fought Act 1 of the Pallas Capital Gold Cup over the ten boat fleet this weekend, sailed from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Posted on 17 Mar
Pallas Capital TP52 Gold Cup Preview
First Act this weekend at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia The Pallas Capital Gold Cup kicks off this weekend with 10 out of 11 boats on the start line for Act 1 of 4, the first out of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. The TP52's in Australia, and now the USA have adopted the TPR racing rule. Posted on 15 Mar
Rolex renews support of Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
CYCA renew sponsorship for a further ten years The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), is delighted to announce that Rolex, the Title Partner of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, has recently confirmed a continuation of its twenty-year relationship with the iconic Australian sporting event Posted on 11 Mar
2025 Trans-Tasman Yacht Race entries open
The race from Sydney traverses over 1,270 nautical miles to Auckland The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has opened entries for the inaugural Trans-Tasman Yacht Race today. Posted on 8 Mar
CYCA's Clean Marina & Fish Friendly Accreditations
The Clean Marina program helps marinas to evaluate their environmental processes The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has been awarded the International Clean Marina and Fish Friendly accreditations following a rigorous independent environmental audit. Posted on 13 Feb
Oldest videos from the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
A look back into our video archive We delve into the past, and round-up all the videos which show sailing in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Australia, which has run every December since 1945. Posted on 14 Jan
J/133 Patriot wins division in wild, rough RSHYR
Rolex Sydney Hobart lives up to its legendary status Living up to its legendary status as one of the world's toughest ocean races, the 2023 edition of the 628.0nm Rolex Sydney Hobart Race had its fair share of throwing "everything including the kitchen sink" at the competitors from start to finish. Posted on 8 Jan
Rolex Sydney Hobart: Four boats still racing
Reflections on Toecutter's debut This morning four yachts remain at sea in the CYCA's 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: Jason Bond's Beneteau First 47.7 Enigma (NSW) and Kiwi husband and wife, Michael and Tracey Carter on Allegresse, both due to finish today. Posted on 31 Dec 2023
RSHYR: Watson arrives in Hobart to great fanfare
As a 16 year-old, she sailed single-handed, nonstop and unassisted around the world When Azzurro, the 'Little Boat That Could', docked in Hobart this afternoon just before 3.45pm, there was a huge crowd waiting to meet her - or more precisely, one of her crew - Jessica Watson OAM, who had just finished the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Posted on 31 Dec 2023
RS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERHyde Sails 2022 One Design FOOTERSOUTHERN-SPARS-OFFICIAL-SUPPLIER-52-SS728-X-90 Bottom