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Race updates - 2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race

Race updates - 2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race

NEWS
03 Dec, 2023 06:24:00 PM

Cabbage Tree Island Race 2023 - Start line ©Andrea Francolini

Race updates - 2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race

Race updates during the 172 nautical mile 2023 Cabbage Tree Islands Race

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - UPDATE Sunday 1600hrs

And then there were two.

After the retirements of Luna Blue, Mister Lucky (TH) and Tumbleweed (TH), and a flurry of finishers this morning, there are now only two boats remaining on the course - Currawong (TH) and Sylph VI (TH).

Kathy and Bridget (Currawong) have 17nm to the finish whilst Bob and Chris are 30nm SE of Norah Head.

Leader on IRC Overall standings is Peter Wrigley and Andy Kearnan's TP52 Koa, with Sticky and Highly Sprung making up the podium.

PHS honours are shared between the same three boats - but with Sticky pipping Highly Sprung and Koa.

Koa also sits atop of IRC Corinthian. Denali and Midnight Rambler 2nd and 3rd.

Denali, Pretty Woman and Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth were the Wild Rose IRC placegetters.

For the two-handed fleet, the IRC battle of the Henrys went to Rupert this time 'round - Mistral beating out dad's Philosopher with Jupiter in 3rd place. On PHS, Niksen by Team Michael bettered the two.

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - UPDATE Sunday 0700hrs

33 boats have now finished. Overnight arrivals included: Ocean Crusader J-Bird, Maritimo 54, Pretty Woman, Lightning, Rush, Carrera S, MWF Kayle, Amazingrace, XS Moment BNMH, Calibre 12, Mistral (TH), Atomic Blonde, Cinquante, Oroton Drumfire, Georgia Express and Mondo.

30 Division 2 entries are still racing.

Rupert Henry and Greg O'Shea on Mistral were the first two-handed entry home.

IRC and Division 1 provisional standings are Koa, Sticky, Highly Sprung, Smuggler and Celestial. Division 2 has Mistral (TH) leading Midnight Rambler and Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth. PHS sees Sticky ahead of Highly Sprung and Koa.

It was a slow and challenging morning for the fleet with light and variable breeze. Most are now south of Pittwater in 4-7kt westerlies which will swing south later in the morning.

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - UPDATE Sunday 0100hrs

17 boats have now completed the journey with Sticky, Denali, Antipodes and Bumblebee V finishing since the last report. Ocean Crusader J-Bird is inside the Heads on approach which will leave 45 still racing after the retirements of Cyan Moon and Helsal 3. They are spread from Manly to Port Stephens where Sylph VI has 82nm to go.

After a brief thunderstorm earlier this evening, the rain has eased and the breeze off Long Reef is currently registering 2-3kt SW.

The Corinthian entry Koa leads IRC Overall ahead of StIcky and Highly Sprung. 26 boats mathematically are in contention to better her corrected time but are looking less likely with the current forecast.

In PHS, Niksen (TH) heads Sticky and Currawong (TH).

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - UPDATE Saturday 2000hrs

Since the last update, ten more boats have finished. Next to finish were the six mini maxis that will be competing in the Raymarine Australia Maxi Championship over the next few days alongside the three 100-foot maxis - URM Group, Alive, Wild Oats X, Moneypenny, No Limit and Whisper.

As usual, it was a tight battle for TP52 bragging rights which went down to the wire in a fight to the finish line. Celestial headed Smuggler, Koa and Highly Sprung.

The Cookson 50 Sticky is finishing soon and could go to the clubhouse as the current Overall leader on IRC if it can beat Koa’s corrected time.

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - UPDATE Saturday 1600hrs

On a sticky, overcast afternoon in Sydney, Andoo Comanche rounded North Head mid-afternoon to arrive home in a race time of 20 hours 24 minutes & 17 seconds - 5 minutes 27 seconds ahead of LawConnect who had kept her honest the last stage down the Northern Beaches but was unable to close the gap. Andoo Comanche had averaged 8.4kts over the 172nm. SHK Scallywag completed the Line Honours podium when she finished 10 minutes 3 seconds later.

The next likely finisher will be URM Group who now has 12nm to go, followed by Alive 5 miles astern.

Current standings have changed markedly since the last report.

Smuggler has had a great few hours and has moved into third IRC Overall behind Koa and URM Group.

In PHS, Currawong still leads over Sticky and Smuggler.

With the leads likely to change many times over the remaining hours, it's too early to call the divisional winners.

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - UPDATE Saturday 1300hrs

Andoo Comanche has recently reeled in LawConnect, sailing closer to shore near Terrigal & has a 0.4nm lead - with SHK Scallywag a further 3.3nm back. She is doing 6.8kts, averaging 8.2kts for the race.

Currawong currently sits atop every handicap division she is entered in: IRC Overall and Division 2, PHS, Two-Handed IRC and PHS, IRC Corinthian and Wild Rose IRC.

Azzurro and Son of a Son hold down second and third spot in IRC Overall; Niksen (TH) and Son of a Son PHS.

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - Saturday 0930hrs

LawConnect has a slight lead over Andoo Comanche and SHK Scallywag 6nm south of Newcastle heading homeward - the three about to pass the last of the fleet Sylph VI still outbound.

They are running down the coast inside the rhumb line, LawConnect doing 11.1kts with an average of 8.3kts for the 14.5hrs raced.

Behind is a pack of chasers loosely based on length, with URM Group, Alive and Wild Oats X sparring with No Limit, Moneypenny and Whisper along with the group of 50 footers.

Drizzle continues along the coast with single digit SWs likely to swing to the SE later in the day.

On current standings, the smaller boats Azzurro, Currawong (TH), and Son of a Son along with the next seven Division 2 entries lead their Division 1 counterparts for Overall Honours but it is a close affair and is definitely anyone's game. Celestial, Koa and Sticky are the best placed in Division 1.

PHS is a similar story with Currawong (TH) over Azzurro and the Farr 43 Wild Oats.

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - Update Saturday 0300hrs

Eight hours into the race & the leading boats are currently passing Newcastle, east of Nobbys Head. Andoo Comanche and SHK Scallywag have come inside the rhumb line whilst first placed LawConnect remains just outside as they set up the run past Fingal Bay to Cabbage Tree Island 4nm NE of the entrance to Port Stephens.

The gaps between the three 100-footers has increased marginally to a few miles each - positions unchanged. The chasing minis are a bit further back with the TP52s at their heels.

LawConnect is doing almost 11kts and has averaged 8.2kts for the trip.

Newcastle weather reports a 7-10kt S with 1.4m SSE swell which look to lighten and clock into the west through the morning.

Currently, Azzurro, Sticky and Denali are atop IRC Overall - (Division 1 - Sticky, Denali and Celestial; Division 2 - Azzurro, Currawong (TH) and the perennial Love & War).

Currawong (TH), Azzurro and the NZ entry Niksen (TH) are the best placed PHS entries.

2023 Cabbage Tree Island Race - Update Friday 2300hrs

Four hours after the twilight start off Point Piper on Sydney Harbour, it's still an extremely tight affair in the 172nm race to Cabbage Tree Island (4nm NE of Port Stephens) and back.

In patchy breeze and with 138.4nm still to go, LawConnect currently leads SHK Scallywag and Andoo Comanche - all within 1nm of each other.

URM Group is a further 1.7nm astern but all six mini maxis - who are also competing in the 2023 Raymarine Australian Maxi Championship - are within eyesight or each other. Close behind are the six TP52s (including the all-electric Ocean Crusader J-Bird), the Santa Cruz 72 Antipodes and the Cookson 50 Sticky.

The fleet is spread from Terrigal to Collaroy.

Wild Oats X, helmed by Mark Richards, had the best of the start at 1900hrs but it was Andoo Comanche and SHK Scallywag who got up to speed first and rocketed out the Heads reaching speeds of up to 22kts on the way. Most of the fleet of 65 boats sailed into a hole east of Sow & Pigs and made slower going.

Current standings have Sticky leading Koa and Highly Sprung in IRC Overall. In PHS, Mondo leads Imalizard (TH) and Blue Planet (TH). The Two-Handed IRC standing are Blue Planet, Verite and Jupiter.